As he was recently moved to the agency’s top position.
According to Secretary Lino Cayetano, who was recently promoted to lead the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), his office will implement changes gradually.
This, he told, is to ensure uninterrupted operations across the agency and its attached offices, while alsp continuously improving its partnership with the media in communicating government programs and policies.
The official noted that a reshuffle will not be implemented within a fixed period and these changes would depend on ongoing assessments of performance and operational needs.
“I think that (changes) will be a process as long as I’m here. May iba na ilang araw, may ilan na ilang buwan, may ilan na down the road… So I think it’s, hindi siya after two weeks, meron tayong reshuffle agad. After one month, meron tayong complete evaluation. Hindi ganun yung approach natin dito,” Cayetano said.
Instead, the PCO chief said the agency would pursue continuous improvements to strengthen its partnership with the media in communicating programs, policies, and priorities to the public.
“But it’s really a continuous effort to try to become a real partner of media in being able to share the message of the President,” he noted.
Cayetano added that regular performance assessments should be part of the agency’s daily operations, including his own performance as secretary.
“So para sa akin, araw-araw we evaluate. And every day, we want to get better. Same with me,” he noted.
Part of the efforts are assessing and evaluating various aspects of PCO’s work and initiatives, Cayetano said, such as the PCO’s relationship with the Malacañang Press Corps, as well as the direction of outlets such as People’s Television Network (PTV), Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
The review will assess whether the PCO and its attached agencies are effectively fulfilling their mandates and delivering benefits to the Filipino people, with the goal of bridging the gap between the government and the public, he said.
Cayetano, who was just assigned PTV general manager earlier this year before eventually taking over the PCO from former chief Dave Gomez, also acknowledged that the President may assign him to another department or appoint another official to lead the PCO.
“If the President wants me to push forward an agenda for the Filipino people in another department, or he wants someone to push forward the agenda for the Filipino people in this department, maintindihan ko yung ating Pangulo,” he said.
He, however, vowed to build on the accomplishments of his predecessor former, while also implementing changes in how the PCO does its mandate.
“So I think across all agencies, hindi bago rin doon ng PCO. If we think there’s something that we can build on, like we’re doing here, we’re building on the success of the past leadership of my former boss, Sec. Dave. And I think the groundwork that he’s laid, I want to push it further. And I think we can take it further. Maybe there were gaps in the communication that we can help fill,” he continued.
The new PCO chief also highlighted the vital role of legitimate media in helping the administration communicate government matters to the public.
In line with this, he aims to strengthen its partnership with the media to ensure that the public receives accurate, relevant, and comprehensive information about government initiatives and their long-term benefits.
He also asked the media for cooperation over the next 18 months and told its members to challenge the department on every piece of information it releases.
“We want more engagement. We want you to challenge us,” Cayetano told members of the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC).
He said the PCO would also work to provide journalists with greater access to Cabinet secretaries, bureau heads, and other government officials who can explain the rationale, implementation, and expected benefits of various government initiatives.
Cayetano noted that the administration’s communication strategy would focus on explaining lasting institutional reforms rather than merely generating publicity or favorable public perception.
He cited improvements in healthcare services and disaster response as examples of government initiatives that require deeper public understanding of how reforms translate into tangible benefits.
FIGHT AGAINST MISINFORMATION
The PCO chief also announced plans to strengthen the government’s campaign against fake news and disinformation through closer cooperation with legitimate media organizations.
“We want the help of traditional media, and we want the help of members of the MPC,” Cayetano said, noting that they intend to establish a system that allows media organizations to independently verify and publish corrections to false information the government identifies.
Cayetano said such cooperation would help protect not only the public from disinformation but also the credibility and integrity of the journalism profession.
He clarified that the PCO’s primary responsibility in combating disinformation is to disseminate accurate information, while questions of legal liability would remain with appropriate agencies such as the Department of Justice and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
Thus, he also promised to strengthen the department’s anti-fake news desk by boosting partnerships with various stakeholders.
“Gusto nating palakasin sana ‘yun. We want the help of traditional media, and we want the help of members of the MPC (Malacañang Press Corps),” Cayetano said. “We’ll talk to your desks and try to establish a system kung saan pag naglabas kami ng validated fake news, pwede n’yo rin i-validate at pwede n’yo rin i-publish.”
He continued, “Kasi ayaw namin na nanggagaling rin sa amin. I think the best people to validate fake news is kayo rin. So we’ll have a system, and I think we’ll strengthen the partnership with the private sector and state media with that.”
He also noted that the PCO’s important work is to focus on disseminate correct information.
“The most important job of the PCO, and I think yun yung importante dito, that we don’t overreach and we focus on what’s important to us, is makapagbabaan ng tamang impormasyon,” Cayetano underscored.
