PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has signed an executive order reorganizing the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), which will have five undersecretaries and 15 assistant secretaries supporting the secretary.
In a statement on Monday, the PCO said Executive Order (EO) No. 16, signed on Feb. 13, is intended “to consolidate its communications activities and ensure efficient delivery of its core services.”
The order also tasks the PCO to closely coordinate with the presidential adviser for creative communications, a position held by Paul D. Soriano, a filmmaker and godson of the president.
The PCO, formerly the Office of the Press Secretary, was renamed in December under Mr. Marcos’ Executive Order 11.
The new order also places state-owned media networks such as the People’s Television Network, Inc., APO Production Unit, and International Broadcasting Corporation under the supervision of one of PCO’s assistant secretaries.
The National Printing Office will also be placed back under the PCO’s supervision.
Other communications agencies that will be directly under PCO are: the Presidential Broadcast Service-Bureau of Broadcast Services; Bureau of Communication Services; News and Information Bureau; Freedom of Information-Program Management Office; Philippine Information Agency; and the Presidential Broadcast Staff-Radio Television Malacañang.
Under EO 11 signed Dec. 29, the Office of the President was streamlined into five offices.
These are the Executive Office, Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, Private Office, Office of the Special Assistant to the President, and the PCO. — John Victor D. Ordoñez