DAVAO CITY (October 7) — The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) may be transferred to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), as President Rodrigo Duterte offered his spokesperson, Harry Roque to lead the OPS.
In an interview with DZMM, Communication Secretary Martin Andanar revealed that Roque was offered to lead the OPS. “Iyong Office of the Press Secretary ay iyon ang inaalok para kay Harry Roque,” he said.
Palace sources said, that if and when the OPS will be realized, the offices under PCOO will be transferred under the OPS.
The President is said to been toying the idea of revising the OPS during the time of then Spokesperson Ernesto Abella but the preparations were overtaken by events as Abella was transferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, during the PCOO budget hearing, said he is looking into the possibility of reverting the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) to the OPS.
Andanar said if the OPS will be established, it will be a sacrifice on his part.“Ako naman ay handang magsakripisyo para lamang hindi tumakbo si Harry Roque,” Andanar added.
During the term of former president Benigno Aquino III, the OPS was split into PCOO and the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO). The latter was eventually abolished and its functions, transferred to the PCOO.
Sotto earlier said he wanted the PCOO reverted to OPS since the former was only created to “accommodate political friends of the previous administration.”
Andanar added that the OPS would consolidate the functions of the PCOO, PCDSPO, and the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson. “This time around, hindi lang iyong PCDSPO at PCOO iyong pag-iisahin, pati iyong Office of the Presidential Spokesperson ay isasama, parang one na lang (it won’t be just the PCDSPO and PCOO that will be joined. It will include the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson so that there’s just one agency),” he said.
Andanar added that he has already achieved his objectives as PCOO chief by improving its attached agencies, including the state-run PTV-4, Radyo Pilipinas, and the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
“I’ve already done what — I thought that I’ve already achieved my objectives for the government media,” he said.
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Andanar pointed out that he is also open to accepting whatever task the President would give him. “Wala namang problema, karangalan ang magsilbi sa bayan, pagsilbi ni Pangulong Duterte (I don’t see a problem. It is an honor to serve the people, serve President Duterte),” he added. – NewsLine with PNA report
