Bongbong Marcos inducts new government officials

New officials of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) were sworn in by President Marcos on Thursday after he ordered the agency’s reorganization through Executive Order No. 16.

Honey Rose Mercado, previously an undersecretary of the Presidential Management Staff, was appointed as undersecretary for traditional media and external affairs. Franz Gerard Imperial, former executive director of Radio Television Malacañang, was designated as undersecretary for broadcast production. He was also an undersecretary of the Office of the President.

Gerald Baria, another former undersecretary of the Office of the President, was appointed as undersecretary for content production.

Marcos also swore in Patricia Anne Magistrado as assistant secretary for external affairs and Ma. Rhona Ysabel Daoang, Marvin Antonio and Lois Erika Mendoza as directors.

Daoang will be working under traditional media and external affairs while Antonio will serve under digital media. Mendoza, on the other hand, will be assigned to content production.

Under EO 16, the President reorganized the PCO, trimming down the number of undersecretaries from seven to five although there would be 14 assistant secretaries.

Only two undersecretaries retained their posts: Emerald Ridao and Cherbett Karen Maralit as undersecretary for digital media services and undersecretary for operations, administration and finance, respectively.

Dissolved positions

EO 16 earlier dissolved the following positions held by five PCO undersecretaries: Greggy Eugenio for media accreditation and relations; Edwin Cordevilla for print media services and related government-owned and controlled corporations or GOCCs and attached agencies; Marlon Purificacion for special concerns; Ina Reformina for broadcast media services and related GOCCs and attached agencies; and Eugene Henry Rodriguez for operations, plans and policies.

It was unclear whether they would be given other posts.

The President did not give a detailed explanation for the PCO’s sudden reorganization, citing only in his EO the need to “ensure rationalization of its organizational structure, functions, and staffing pattern for efficient and effective delivery of services.”

In a statement, the PCO announced Marcos’ appointment of several officials to the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The President, who is also the concurrent DA secretary, named Paz Benavidez II as assistant secretary and Honorio Flameño, Fernando Flores, Maria Christine Inting, Roland Tulay and Reynaldo Campomanes as directors.

To the AFP, he appointed Jose Maria Cuerpo II as commander of the Philippine Army 4th Infantry Division, Ramon Guiang as vice commander of the Philippine Army, Teofilo Bailon as Air Force inspector general, Pedro Balisi Jr. as assistant division commander of the Philippine Army Armor Division and Luis Rex Bergante as commander of the Philippine Army Training and Command.

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