PCOO PR
MANILA – The coverage of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday will proceed as planned despite work-from-home arrangements due to Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and Radio-Television Malacañang (RTVM) personnel who have tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
As of 2:50PM Saturday, there are already a total of 13 employees of PCOO main office whose results came out positive. Work at the New Executive Building (NEB) is suspended until further notice.
“With regard to the 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, July 27, 2020, the coverage plan of RTVM will continue with the deployment of a different team that is not among those who have been in contact with the infected personnel,” he added.
Part of the coverage plan is organizing a watch party via Zoom where Cabinet secretaries and other officials who cannot physically attend the event may join, in an effort to follow restrictions on mass gathering and limit possible transmission of the virus.
On the other hand, two from the RTVM were also found positive and asymptomatic.
“We would like to assure the family of those who have been infected by COVID-19, as well as the general public, that the PCOO is doing all the health and medical protocols prescribed by the government, especially the intensified contact tracing and testing, as part of our due diligence to prevent further transmissions among those who have been in contact with them.
We are also fulfilling any assistance and support we can provide to our personnel and their families on the matter,” PCOO Sec. Andanar said.
Also, he assured the public that while physical reporting for work in the NEB and RTVM Building has been suspended, the agency’s production continues, along with its attached agencies.
Other coverages such as the virtual pressers and other information dissemination programs will also remain unhampered, according to Sec. Andanar.
“The delivery of essential and timely information to the Filipino public will remain unhampered and unchanged as we have adopted a work-from-home arrangement.
However, all programs and briefings done at NEB will be undertaken remotely and/or virtually,” he said.
“Although this instance is an evident impediment for the PCOO and RTVM, we will continue to carry on in fulfilling our mandate to the Filipino people as we continue to ensure our personnel’s safety towards beating COVID-19 and healing as one nation,” Sec. Andanar said.