MANILA, Philippines?A week into their jobs, members of President Benigno Aquino III?s official family will undergo a ?seminar? to better meet an emerging challenge: how to deal with the media.

This was disclosed Monday by the President himself, following abrasive encounters between the press and two Cabinet members that marked the supposed honeymoon period traditionally enjoyed by a new administration.

Mr. Aquino said the seminar would have topics like ?how to handle media, how to improve relations with everybody, how to get the (government?s) message across.?

?The seminar will be had by most of the Cabinet, especially those who are new in government,? he told reporters at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

?We want to engage the people on the agenda that we have?so the best way is through you?and to communicate what the plans are, the timeframe. Not just the substance, the form is also very important,? he added.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda immediately issued a disclaimer: ?It?s not because I?m pikon (quick-tempered).?

?In our first Cabinet meeting, President Aquino told us, ?All of you will be undergoing media seminar like what I went through when I ran for senator and for President,?? the Palace official said.

First batch

Lacierda said the first batch taking the seminar on Wednesday would include himself and two other Cabinet officials.

He said he still had no idea how it would exactly go, but surmised that it would be similar to the seminar he undertook to prepare for Aquino?s presidential campaign.

?(That) one was really (about) how to answer questions, how to phrase your answer, and how to comport yourself, especially when confronted with difficult questions,? he recalled. ?It?s the typical ?how to handle, how to deal with media.??

The campaign gave him plenty of experience as Aquino?s spokesperson, but Lacierda?s first few days as Malacañang mouthpiece turned out to be anything but smooth.

Some members of the Malacañang Press Corps complained, for example, when he failed to show up for a morning press briefing but granted an interview only with cable channel ANC.

?Forgive us?

The press conference was arranged supposedly to clarify matters surrounding a presidential memorandum circular on the status of government workers, among them contractual employees.

Also last week, Education Secretary Armin Luistro snapped at a reporter for asking about the controversial sex education program of his predecessor.

?Forgive us because we are new to the job, especially me,? Lacierda said, adding that he had actually begun looking for more spokespersons to join his team.

Mr. Aquino also said he was still in the process of completing the Palace communications group, which would include the Office of the Press Secretary as one of its line agencies.

?It will have more functions than just a press office,? he said.