Duterte free to reorganize Palace communications group–Coloma

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. on Tuesday said the incoming administration could do what it wanted, including the reorganization of the presidential communications group.

“Mayroong laya at karapatan ang bawat administrasyon na tukuyin kung paano nito gustong gampanan ang kanilang tungkulin at kung pumili sila ng isang kaparaanan na naiiba sa inabutan nila, sila naman ay malayang magagawa iyon at iyon na lamang tuwirang karanasan ang magpapatunay kung ano ‘yung mas mahusay na kaayusan,” Coloma said during a press briefing.

(Every administration has the right to determine how it wants to accomplish its tasks and to choose a different way of doing things. They can freely do that and experience will determine what will work.)

READ: One letter less: Change is coming to Palace press office

It was earlier reported that incoming Secretary Martin Andanar was considering subsuming the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) under the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and rename the latter Presidential Communications Office.

Coloma earlier met with Andanar to discuss the work of the presidential communications group. President-elect Rodrigo Duterte reportedly wants only one presidential spokesperson as opposed to President Benigno Aquino III’s three spokespersons—presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte and Coloma.

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Coloma said that while organization was important, what was crucial was how the office accomplishes its tasks.

“Kahit naman maganda ‘yung drawing sa organization, ang panukat din niyan ay ‘yung sa aktwal na paghahatid ng serbisyo. So, siguro parati na lang tayong naghahanap nang pinakamainam na kaayusan na makakapaghatid nang pinakaepektibong serbisyo,” he said.

(Even if the organization looks good in a drawing, its effectivity is still measured by its actual performance. We always look for the appropriate structure that would deliver the most effective service.)

Coloma said he has relayed to Andanar “all the important things that (he) felt or (he) thought (Andanar) should be aware about.”

“Siya naman ay bukas sa mga ideya, gusto naman din niyang malaman kung paano siya magiging epektibong public servant. At ibinahagi ko naman sa kanya lahat ng aking nalalaman,” he said.

(He is open to ideas and he wants to know how he will become an effective public servant. And I shared with him all that I know.)

Andanar earlier said that he was tasked to study the current setup of the presidential communications group, which is composed of the PCOO, the PCDSPO and the Office of the Presidential Spokesman. The said offices have been dubbed Malacañang’s three-headed monster because of the alleged confusion caused by the different talking heads./rga