Palace communications group asks reduced budget for 2014

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma. Photo from https://pcoo.gov.ph/

MANILA, Philippines—The proposed budget of the Presidential Communications and Operations Office (PCOO) for 2014 is P131.119 million lower than its present appropriations.

PCOO Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma told lawmakers on Thursday that the P1.181 billion proposed budget for next year was 9.99 percent lower than the communications group’s 2013 funding worth P1.312 billion.

He said that the National Printing Office’s (NPO) proposed budget for next year has been slashed as it could use its initial income for the year for its expenses.

“They are expected to use what they earn from printing services to shoulder their expenses for the remainder of the year,” Coloma said.

NPO director Emmanuel Andaya said that it was the first time the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) mandated them to “utilize what we earn. We print accountable forms for agencies and local government units. We derive income from that and our basis will be our revenue for 2013.”

Coloma said that aside from the PCOO proper and the Presidential Broadcast Staff – RTVM, the rest of the agency had no capital outlay.

He added that the PCOO’s operations would get most of the proposed budget for 2014 while general and administrative support would receive P235 million.