This is to clarify the statement released by the Presidential Broadcast Staff-Radio Television Malacanang (PBS-RTVM).
The Post-SONA conference is a project of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) which sought the support of the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson (OPS). Thus, the post-SONA Conference became a joint project of the two offices.
While it is true that the PCOO, through Director for Special Projects Vinci Beltran, agreed to handle the matter of rapid testing for PBS-RTVM staff during their coordination meeting last night, July 27, with the OPS, the OPS decided to have a back-up plan of having its own rapid test kits as a matter of procedure. Thus, it is the OPS which provided the rapid test kits for the aforesaid staff while waiting for the PCOO’s rapid test kits. It is also the OPS that made the proper coordination with the Presidential Security Group (PSG) Hospital for the conduct of rapid testing to the said employees.
Also, there is no denying that PBS-RTVM personnel went to the New Executive Building (NEB) this morning, bringing along their equipment. The conduct of the briefing, however, was made possible because of the presence of private cameramen, which is part of the back-up plan of the OPS, with the assistance of People’s Television (PTV) Network as there was delay in the reporting of PBS-RTVM staff who has the technical know-how in the operation of their equipment.
Finally, there are some malicious tweets alluding to an “ultimate sacrifice.” There is none as shown by the narratives forwarded by both the OPS and PBS-RTVM.
