MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has abolished the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) citing the need to streamline operations.
“Pursuant to the rationalization and streamlining efforts to achieve simplicity, economy, and efficiency in government, the PCDSPO is hereby abolished,” Executive Order No. 111 signed by Duterte on Monday stated.
The same EO reconstituted the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson (OPS) under the Office of the President (OP).
“The Presidential Spokesperson may be assisted by a deputy spokesperson and an assistant spokesperson, who shall serve in coterminous capacity,” it stated.
Among the functions of the OPS as indicated by the EO is to “discharge the function of speaking for the President on matters pertaining to his actions, policies, programs, official activities and accomplishments.”
The OPS shall also “develop and implement necessary guidelines and mechanisms pertaining to the dissemination of information” on matters concerning the President.
“The OPS and the PCOO [Presidential Communications Operations Office] shall coordinate on all activities when the nature thereof is directly relevant to the functions of both,” it added.
Earlier, returning Presidential spokesman Harry Roque has taken the lead in disseminating information on how the government is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to this, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, spokesperson of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, was at the forefront of information dissemination concerning the government’s response against the health crisis.