PCDSPO

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Rm. 301 New Executive Bldg. J.P. Laurel Street, Malacaan Palace, Manila Tel: (632)733-3605 / (632)736-0719 Fax No.(632)735-6167

August 9, 2010

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Briefing on

Presidential Communications Reforms

Prepared by the Office of Presidential CommunicationsDevelopment 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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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, Osmea, 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 Presidents Center for Strategic Studies were integral parts of the administrations

communications team.

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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 executives office.

Prior to World War II, communicating the executive departments 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 ofExecutive Order 5-W, datedOctober 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 PresidentManuel L. Quezon. On August 8, 1944, President Sergio Osmea

issued Executive Order 15-W reorganizing and consolidating the

Executive Departments of the Commonwealth governments War

Cabinet.

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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

(todays Department of Education) and Information and Public Relations were combined into the portfolioofPublic 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 ofSecretary 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 ofPress 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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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 ofa 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 PhilippineInformation 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, suchas 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-powerfulportfolios 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 ofSecretary of Public

Information, with the appointment ofFrancisco Tatad. The

Department of Public Information was established by virtue ofPresidential 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 wereabolished. 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 Cendaa 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 ofPresidential

Spokesman, assumed by Rene Saguisag and appointed Teodoro L.

Locsin Jr. as Minister of Information on February 25, 1986. Thecabinet position ofPress 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 governments point

of view is communicated to the public especially on issues affecting

the nations 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 ofTeodoro 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 EraPrior 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 Aquinos 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 EraExecutive 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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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

executives power to reorganize the executive department.

Legal Basis for the Reorganization

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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 1950s

newspapers and radio, and to a certain extent, television. The traditional orientation of the Office of thePress Secretary made it institutionally ill-equipped to seriously consider the rapidly-changing information

landscape.

For the governments 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 governments 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 publicto ensure not only that the message is conveyed, but that the administration engages the many publics

it serves, in a mutually-helpful conversation.

Why the executive communications institutions needed to be reformed

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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 governments 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.

Why the executive communications institutions needed to be reformed

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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.

The Presidents communications reforms

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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 existinginstitutional means to do this, provided the states 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 campaigns innovative track record in New Media should be made an integral part of

the new administrations 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.

The objectives of the Presidents communications team

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Presidential Communications Development and

Strategic Planning (Messaging)

Presidential Communications Operations

(Dissemination)

Coordinates the crafting, formulation, development

and enhancement of the messaging system under

the Office of the President of the Philippines

Develops and implements necessary guidelines and

mechanisms pertaining to the delivery and

dissemination of information relating to the

policies, programs, official activities and

achievements of the President and the Executive

Branch

Designs and recommends responses to issues that

arise on a daily basis

Develops, manages, and operates viable

government-owned or controlled information

dissemination structures/facilities to provide the

Office of the President of the Philippines in

particular, and the Executive Branch in general,

access to the people as an alternative to privatemass media entities

Ensures consistency in the messages issued by the

Executive Department

Sets up and maintains domestic and international

field offices, where necessary, to ensure that

accurate information from the President of the

Philippines and the Executive Branch is promptly

and efficiently relayed, delivered, and disseminated

to intended target audiences

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


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Presidential Communications Development

and Strategic Planning (Messaging)


(Dissemination)

Assists in the formulation and implementation of

New Media strategies for the Office of the

President of the Philippines

Manages, controls, and supervises as may be

necessary, the various government agencies and

offices involved in information gathering and

dissemination

Assists in research and development of New Media

instruments

Coordinates and cultivates relations with private

media

Liasons with the Malacaang Records Office Manages and administers the OP website and WebDevelopment Office

Controls and supervises the conduct of market

research, the monitoring of public opinion, and the

gathering, use and analysis of relevant data as may

be necessary

Such other functions as the President of the

Philippines may assign from time to time.



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(Dissemination)

Controls and supervises the conduct of market

research, the monitoring of public opinion, and the

gathering, use and analysis of relevant data as may

be necessary

Such other functions as the President of the

Philippines may assign from time to time.

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 ofthe 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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(Dissemination)

Head of PCDSP, Secretary Ramon A. Carandang

Deputy Head, Undersecretary

Manuel L. Quezon III

a Chief of Staff

an Assistant Secretary for Messaging

an Electronic Data Processing Division Chief

Head of PCO, Secretary Herminio Coloma

Undersecretary for Media Operations

George Siliangco

Undersecretary for Special Concerns Chris Tio

a Chief of Staff

an Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs

an Electronic Data Processing Division Chief

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


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(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

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


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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.

The Presidents communications officials are the following,

collectively known as the Communications Group.

The Presidential Spokesperson: Atty. Edwin Lacierda.

President

Presidential

Spokesperson

Presidential Communications

Development and

Strategic Planning


Operations

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The PCDSP Head: Hon. Ramon A. Carandang

As the governments 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 administrations message has

been delivered successfully. This includes market research and polling. He devises the communications strategy to promote

the Presidents 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 Presidents message can be disseminated.

President

Presidential

Spokesperson


Development and

Strategic Planning


Operations

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The Deputy PCDSP Head: Manuel L. Quezon III

President

Presidential

Spokesperson

Presidential CommunicationsDevelopment and

Strategic Planning


Operations

Deputy PCDSP Head

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 Executives 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.

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The Presidential Communications Operation Head is Secretary Herminio Coloma. He is in charge of

disseminating the governments 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 theaccreditation 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.

The PCO Head: Herminio Coloma

President

Presidential

Spokesperson


Development and

Strategic Planning


Operations

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Thank you

PCDSPO

Documents

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