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August 9, 2010

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Briefing on
Presidential Communications Reforms

Prepared by the Office of Presidential Communications


Development and Strategic Planning (PCDSP)
with the assistance of the Presidential Museum and Library

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Evolution of Presidential Communications

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Evolution of Presidential Communications
Three themes have waxed and waned with regards to the evolution of the Presidential Communications Group. They are:
Public Relations
Information
Communications.

In all administrations, the President of the Philippines is the “communicator-in-chief,” as chief executive.

From the Quezon administration onwards, presidential communications have been handled by teams. Since the time of the
first Executive Secretary, Jorge B. Vargas who used to give daily press briefings, the Executive Secretary has often played a
combined role of spokesman and de facto press secretary.

Presidents have also used private and legislative secretaries, as well as other cabinet members, undersecretaries of
departments and diplomats and journalists crafting their messages. Presidents Quezon, Osmeña, and Roxas also had
foreigners assisting with public relations.

President Elpidio Quirino was the first chief executive to formalize communications functions in a team, by establishing the
Philippine Information Council.

During the Marcos administration, aside from a Press Secretary/Information Minister, the head of the National Media
Production Board and the head of the President’s Center for Strategic Studies were integral parts of the administration’s
communications team.

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Evolution of Presidential Communications
In the post-EDSA years, three officials –the Press Secretary, the Presidential Spokesperson, and the
Executive Secretary– have been the public faces of presidential communications, with the Executive
Secretary and the Head of the Presidential Management Staff often playing significant roles,
whether in public or behind the scenes, in addition to various communications advisers.

As a unit of the Office of the President of the Philippines, however, the sections charged with
media relations have a long history.

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The Executive Secretary as Communicator
Since the modern executive office was established in 1935, press and media relations have been an
integral part of the chief executive’s office.

Prior to World War II, communicating the executive department’s messages to the press was undertaken
by the first Executive Secretary, Jorge B. Vargas, who held meetings with the press twice a day: shortly
before noon, and again at six in the evening. He was assisted by a Press Relations and Educational Division
headed by Luis Serrano in the Office of the President of the Philippines. President Manuel L. Quezon
himself gave press conferences twice a week.

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The Era of Public Relations
In the Commonwealth Government-in-Exile, lobbying and public
relations were originally undertaken by the Office of Special Services.
This was created by virtue of Executive Order 5-W, dated
October 11, 1942. This sub-cabinet office employed public
Relations consultants for the purpose of collecting, collating,
organizing,and disseminating information about the Philippines
and the government, particularly for the purposes of the war effort.

B virtue of Executive Order 8-Won October 1, 1943. Carlos P. Romulo


was appointed Secretary
of Information and Public Relations in the War Cabinet of President
Manuel L. Quezon. On August 8, 1944, President Sergio Osmeña
issued Executive Order 15-W reorganizing and consolidating the
Executive Departments of the Commonwealth government’s War
Cabinet.

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The Era of Public Relations
Upon the restoration of the Commonwealth of the Philippines’ authority in the country, Executive Order
No. 27, dated February 27, 1945 further reorganized the cabinet. The portfolios of Public Instruction
(today’s Department of Education) and Information and Public Relations were combined into the portfolio
of Public Instruction and Information, to which Francisco Benitez was appointed. Shortly thereafter, with
the end of the war, the Information aspect was dropped, Benitez reverting to being Secretary of Public
Instruction.

President Manuel Roxas established the position of Secretary of Public Relations, first held by Juan
Orendain, by means of a provision in Republic Act No. 80, the General Appropriations Act for 1946-1947.
The Department of Public Relations took over the publicity work that had been done by the Department
of Instruction and Information. In 1948, the name of this office became the Office of Public Information.
This setup was retained by President Elpidio Quirino during his administration. He, however, added the
position of Press Secretary within the Private Office: the Press Secretary “serves as the presidential
spokesman and his functions include issuing press releases and statements for the President and other
related matters.”

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The Era of Public Relations
President Elpidio Quirino was also the first chief executive to take a communications group approach.
Executive Order No. 348 issued on September 29, 1950, established the Philippine Information Service.
Composed of a seven-person board, of whom the Press Secretary was an ex-officio member. The
Philippine Information Board in turn determined the policies, plans, rules and regulations of the Philippine
Information Service, headed by a Director of Public Information. The Board was also authorized to be
integrated into the Philippine Information Service “the public information and publicity services of all
Departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the government,
including those of the government-owned or controlled corporations,”
and to reorganize these if necessary. By virtue of
Executive Order No. 371, dated November 20, 1950,
the name of the Philippine Information
Service was changed to thePhilippine
Information Council.

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The Press Office Era
President Ramon Magsaysay formally discontinued the practice of having a Secretary for Public Relations.
Instead, by means of Executive Order No. 155, dated January 6, 1956, he conferred cabinet rank upon the
Press Secretary. This portfolio was first held by JV Cruz. The Magsaysay administration also established the
National Media Production Center in 1954, “for delivery of different media of mass communications, such
as press releases, handbills, pamphlets, posters, motion pictures, film-strips, etc., and for motion picture
and photo essay coverage of different projects of the government.” This effectively superseded the
Philippine Information Council established by President Quirino.

The position of Press Secretary would be retained in the administrations of presidents Carlos P. Garcia,
Diosdado Macapagal, and Ferdinand E. Marcos.

President Ferdinand E. Marcos in his second administration (1969-1972) downgraded previously-powerful


portfolios either abolishing them or downgrading them to sub-cabinet rank: the position of Press Secretary
Francisco Tatad became sub-cabinet level in 1970 by virtue of Executive Order No. 208, dated February 9,
1970. However, Executive Order No. 376, dated February 18, 1972, restored cabinet rank to the Press
Secretary.

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The Era of Public Information
With the imposition of martial law on September 23, 1972, President
Marcos created the cabinet portfolio of Secretary of Public
Information, with the appointment of Francisco Tatad. The
Department of Public Information was established by virtue of
Presidential Decree No. 1 which established the Presidential Press
Office, the Bureau of National and Foreign Information, the Bureau
of Broadcast, the Bureau of Standards for Mass Media, the Bureau of
Research, an Evaluation and Special Operations division. The position
of Press Secretary was explicitly stated as separate and distinct from
the head of the Public Information Office.

At the same time, martial law (see General Order No. 2-A and Letter of Instruction No. 1) meant all private media was placed
under military control, subsequently modified by placing media under the control of the Mass Media Council (Presidential
Decree No. 36, November 2, 1972, violations of which were to be exclusively tried by military tribunals under General Order
No. 12-C)), then the Media Advisory Council (Presidential Decree No. 191, May 11, 1973), and then dividing its functions by
setting up the Print Media Council and Broadcast Media Council by means of Presidential Decree No. 576, November 9, 1974;
state media was placed under the control of the National Media Production Center.

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The Era of Public Information
Upon the formal lifting of martial law on January 17, 1981, the print and media councils were
abolished. Under the semi-parliamentary system established in 1978, the secretary of
information position had become a ministerial portfolio (Minister of Public Information, held by
Francisco Tatad until 1980 then in a concurrent capacity by Gregorio Cendaña in his capacity as
director of the National Media Production Center).

The EDSA Revolution led to the adoption of the 1986 Freedom Constitution which conferred both
legislative and executive powers on President Corazon C. Aquino. The position of Minister of
Public Information, held by Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. was abolished on September 14, 1987.

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The Modern Press Secretary Era
President Corazon Aquino at first had two officials in charge of
presidential messaging: she established the position of Presidential
Spokesman, assumed by Rene Saguisag and appointed Teodoro L.
Locsin Jr. as Minister of Information on February 25, 1986. The
cabinet position of Press Secretary was reestablished by virtue of
Memorandum Order No. 32, September 1, 1986 and Executive Order
No. 92, December 17, 1986, “to ensure that the government’s point
of view is communicated to the public especially on issues affecting
the nation’s welfare”. Executive Order No. 100, December 24, 1986
reorganized the National Media Production Center as the Philippine
Information Agency.

On February 2, 1987, the present Constitution was ratified and with the convening of Congress in June,
1987,President Aquino lost her lawmaking powers. Executive Order No. 297 reorganized the Office of
the Press Secretary on July 25, 1987. Together with the appointment of Teodoro Benigno Jr. as Press
Secretary, this essentially established the Office of the Press Secretary and its subordinate agencies as
we know it today. These changes were made by virtue of the regular powers of the presidency.

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The Modern Press Secretary Era
Prior to martial law, presidents did not submit their public relations, information, or press secretaries for
congressional confirmation. In 1987, with the restoration of Congress, President Corazon C. Aquino,
despite not having to do so, submitted her appointment to the position of Press Secretary to the
Commission on Appointments for confirmation. All her successors have continued this tradition. However,
the Presidential Spokesman has never been subject to congressional confirmation.

President Aquino’s successors modified the information agencies of the Executive Department from time
to time. President Ramos restructured the Office of the Press Secretary on January 15, 1996 with Executive
Order No. 293. President Joseph Ejercito Estrada for his part, abolished the position of Presidential
Spokesperson and transferred its functions to the Press Secretary (Mike Toledo) by means of
Memorandum Order No. 97, dated April 24, 2000. However the position of Presidential Spokesperson was
restored in the next administration.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo established the Office of the Communications Director by virtue of
Executive Order 348, August 11, 2004 and appointed Silvestre Afable to the position. This executive order
also assigned the functions of the Press Secretary to the Presidential Spokesperson and transferred the
National Printing Office and APO Production Unit to the Philippine Information Agency.

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The Modern Press Secretary Era
Executive Order No. 511 dated March 6, 2006 created the Communications
Group, which transferred the powers of the Communications Director to
the Press Secretary, while the Chairman of the Communications Group was
assigned supervision of the Philippine Information Agency. The Director-
General of the Philippine Information Agency was raised to cabinet rank as
well. Executive Order No. 576, November 7, 2006 abolished the
Government Mass Media Group, assigning its functions and powers to the
Press Secretary, and maintained cabinet rank for the PIA Director-General.

At one point in the Arroyo administration, the number was increased


to four.

Before Executive Order No. 4 was signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III
on July 30, 2010, presidential communications were handled by three
cabinet-level officials: the Press Secretary, the Presidential Spokesperson,
and the Director-General of the Philippine Information Agency.

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Legal Basis for the Reorganization
Article VII, Section 17, 1987 Constitution: “The President shall have control of all the executive
departments, bureaus, and offices. He shall ensure that the laws be faithfully executed.”
Section 31, Administrative Code of 1987: “The President, subject to the policy in the Executive Office and
in order to achieve simplicity, economy, and efficiency, shall have the continuing authority to reorganize
the administrative structure of the Office of the President.”

Most recently in G.R. No. 166620, the Supreme Court en banc on April 20, 2010, reiterated the chief
executive’s power to reorganize the executive department.

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Why the executive communications institutions needed to be reformed
The Office of the Press Secretary as it existed prior to July 30, 2010 was essentially stuck in a time warp,
mainly due to its approach to communications that involves the only media current in the 1950’s –
newspapers and radio, and to a certain extent, television. The traditional orientation of the Office of the
Press Secretary made it institutionally ill-equipped to seriously consider the rapidly-changing information
landscape.

For the government’s message to reach the public, a different approach must be taken where the form of
the organization follows its functions. There are two aspects to communications, just as in media: or
messaging and dissemination. The former, (which itself has two aspects, editorial and reportorial) deals
with the government’s official stand, position, analysis of issues and the actual messaging, and the
reportorial, which essentially revolves around heavy interaction with the traditional media and the public
to ensure not only that the message is conveyed, but that the administration engages the many publics
it serves, in a mutually-helpful conversation.

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Why the executive communications institutions needed to be reformed
The concept of a continuing conversation is a hallmark of the New Media era, and a significant reform of
official channels of the government means they must be employed not just to talk to the media but to the
public in general in order to convey and properly explain the government’s agenda, as well as to engage
both media and the public in a conversation on the reforms and policies of the administration.

It is with this rationale that the new structure was formulated.

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The President’s communications reforms
On July 30, 2010, President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Executive Order No. 4, renaming the Office of the
Press Secretary and redefining its functions, as well as establishing an office for messaging and strategic
planning. This is based on a functional approach to the modern communications needs of the presidency.
In recent years the White House model has increasingly been studied.

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The objectives of the President’s communications team
Information as a basic right and recognized obligation of the state to media and the public, builds the
goodwill required to undertake reforms and institute good governance. There are many existing
institutional means to do this, provided the state’s media assets are professionally run and not used for
patently partisan purposes or for rewarding or coddling individuals of dubious public credibility. Most
noteworthy would be, aside from RTVM and PTV4, a revitalized and relevant Official Gazette.
At the same time, the campaign’s innovative track record in New Media should be made an integral part of
the new administration’s communications structure. This is of particular strategic importance in terms of
secure and efficient internal communications and dissemination of messages and information to media
and the public at large.

These characteristics should remain the hallmark of the new administration, particularly as innuendo and
rumor have proven the weapons of choice of the many anti-reform forces arrayed against the reforms
constituency led by the President.

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Functions Executive Order No. 4 establishes a communications system as follows:
Presidential Communications Development and Presidential Communications Operations
Strategic Planning (Messaging) (Dissemination)
Develops and implements necessary guidelines and
mechanisms pertaining to the delivery and
Coordinates the crafting, formulation, development
dissemination of information relating to the
and enhancement of the messaging system under
policies, programs, official activities and
the Office of the President of the Philippines
achievements of the President and the Executive
Branch
Develops, manages, and operates viable
government-owned or controlled information
dissemination structures/facilities to provide the
Designs and recommends responses to issues that
Office of the President of the Philippines in
arise on a daily basis
particular, and the Executive Branch in general,
access to the people as an alternative to private
mass media entities
Sets up and maintains domestic and international
field offices, where necessary, to ensure that
Ensures consistency in the messages issued by the accurate information from the President of the
Executive Department Philippines and the Executive Branch is promptly
and efficiently relayed, delivered, and disseminated
to intended target audiences
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Functions Executive Order No. 4 establishes a communications system as follows:

Presidential Communications Development Presidential Communications Operations


and Strategic Planning (Messaging) (Dissemination)
Manages, controls, and supervises as may be
Assists in the formulation and implementation of
necessary, the various government agencies and
New Media strategies for the Office of the
offices involved in information gathering and
President of the Philippines
dissemination

Assists in research and development of New Media Coordinates and cultivates relations with private
instruments media

Manages and administers the OP website and Web


Liasons with the Malacañang Records Office
Development Office

Controls and supervises the conduct of market


research, the monitoring of public opinion, and the Such other functions as the President of the
gathering, use and analysis of relevant data as may Philippines may assign from time to time.
be necessary

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Functions Executive Order No. 4 establishes a communications system as follows:
Presidential Communications Development Presidential Communications Operations
and Strategic Planning (Messaging) (Dissemination)
Controls and supervises the conduct of market
research, the monitoring of public opinion, and the Such other functions as the President of the
gathering, use and analysis of relevant data as may Philippines may assign from time to time.
be necessary

Formulates the editorial guidelines and policies for


state media

Ensures consistency in the implementation of the


corporate identity of the Executive Department

Acts as custodian of the institutional memory of the


Office of the President of the Philippines

Performs editorial functions for the Official Gazette

Such other functions as may be assigned by the


President of the Philippines

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Management Executive Order No. 4 establishes a communications system as follows:

Presidential Communications Development Presidential Communications Operations


and Strategic Planning (Messaging) (Dissemination)
•Head of PCDSP, Secretary Ramon A. Carandang •Head of PCO, Secretary Herminio Coloma

•Deputy Head, Undersecretary •Undersecretary for Media Operations


Manuel L. Quezon III George Siliangco
•a Chief of Staff •Undersecretary for Special Concerns Chris Tio

•an Assistant Secretary for Messaging •a Chief of Staff

•an Electronic Data Processing Division Chief •an Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs

•an Electronic Data Processing Division Chief

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Agencies Executive Order No. 4 establishes a communications system as follows:
Presidential Communications Development Presidential Communications Operations
and Strategic Planning (Messaging) (Dissemination)
Presidential Message Staff News and Information Bureau
OP Correspondence Office Philippine News Agency
Media Research and Development Staff Philippine Information Agency
Presidential Museum and Library IBC 13
Official Gazette RPN 9
NBN 4
RTVM
Bureau of Broadcast Services
Bureau of Communications Services
National Printing Office
APO Production Unit
OP Web Development Office

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The President’s communications officials are the following,
collectively known as the Communications Group.
The Presidential Spokesperson: Atty. Edwin Lacierda.
The Presidential Spokesman speaks in behalf of the President on matters of public interest, among other
things. Considering the restricted level of access that media has to the Chief Executive, the Spokesman is
expected to be the primary source of presidential directives in the absence of the President of the
Philippines.

President

Presidential Communications
Presidential Presidential Communications
Development and
Spokesperson Operations
Strategic Planning

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The PCDSP Head: Hon. Ramon A. Carandang
As the government’s voice and vision must be clear, the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning
(PCDSP) Head ensures that all aspects of communications are covered to ensure that the administration’s message has
been delivered successfully. This includes market research and polling. He devises the communications strategy to promote
the President’s agenda throughout all media and among the many publics with which the administration interacts. This can
include, but certainly are not limited to, the State of the Nation address, televised press conferences, statements to the
press, and radio addresses. The communications office also works closely with cabinet level departments and other
executive agencies in order to create a coherent strategy through which the President’s message can be disseminated.

President

Presidential Communications
Presidential Presidential Communications
Development and
Spokesperson Operations
Strategic Planning

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The Deputy PCDSP Head: Manuel L. Quezon III
The deputy of the PCDSP Head has been assigned specific responsibilities and functions as well. The Director of Strategic
Planning formulates the editorial guidelines and policies for state media in line with the Executive’s Communications Plan.
He ensures consistency in the implementation of the corporate identity of the Executive Department. He is the custodian of
the institutional memory of the Office of the President. He is also editor-in-chief of the Official Gazette. The Official Gazette
is the journal of record of the Republic of the Philippines, edited by the Office of the President of the Philippines by virtue of
Commonwealth Act No. 638. In addition, he is tasked with administering the New Media responsibilities of the PCDSP.

President

Presidential Communications
Presidential Presidential Communications
Development and
Spokesperson Operations
Strategic Planning

Deputy PCDSP Head

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The PCO Head: Herminio Coloma
The Presidential Communications Operation Head is Secretary Herminio Coloma. He is in charge of
disseminating the government’s message to private media entities. He also exercises supervision and
control over state-owned media entities to ensure the proper and effective dissemination of the official
messages in accordance with the Communications Plan. The Media Head is also responsible for the
accreditation and authentication of the credentials of foreign media correspondents, in line with his
primary task to cultivate relations and provide the necessary assistance to private media entities.

President

Presidential Communications
Presidential Presidential Communications
Development and
Spokesperson Operations
Strategic Planning

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Thank you

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