MANILA, Philippines?He?s a newsman, and he?s more comfortable receiving the news than dishing it out.

New Press Secretary Cris Icban Jr. said Wednesday he would act as a facilitator at press briefings that follow the regular Cabinet meeting every Tuesday but otherwise let the deputy spokespersons do most of the talking.

?When I was first asked to do this, I said ?I?m too old for that,?? the 74-year-old Icban, Manila Bulletin?s editor in chief, told reporters during a surprise visit to the Office of the Press Secretary. ?At my age, why should I enter into something like this??

So aside from a once a week appearance, he said briefings for the rest of the week would be apportioned between deputy presidential spokespersons Gary Olivar and Charito Planas. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita briefs the media every Wednesday.

?They think I have the credentials. I have credentials for newspapering and editorship, not for press officership. That?s why I have to make adjustments and see what I can do,? he said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo tapped Icban to fill the post vacated by Press Secretary Cerge Remonde who died of a heart attack last week.

Icban sounded reluctant at assuming his post, and conceded he wasn?t sure if he was ready for the grueling tasks that it entailed.

?I wouldn?t say I?m ready. I?m not prepared for this. I wasn?t prepared for this,? he said, but added that he found comfort in the fact he would only be serving the post for five months. ?I?ll be here for five months. At the end of five months. I?ll be with you again.?

The veteran editor saw his role both ways: ?I?ll try to help you get the news. At the same time, I?ll try to help the administration get its point across. I don?t know how hard that will be. We will all have to try.?

He, however, refrained from promising to shore up Ms Arroyo?s consistently poor ratings in the polls.

?I have no plan to do anything about that. The ratings are the results of something in the past. We can?t do anything about that. What we plan to do is what we can do in the next five and a half months. The task will take care of itself. Ultimately, history will have to judge the President,? he said.