CEBU CITY — Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar is currently touring the country in an effort to bolster the government’s relations with members of the media members.
“In my two years and four months as PCOO secretary, my aim now is to strengthen the government’s relations with the different media organizations in the country,” Andanar told members of the Cebu media during a luncheon meeting at Zubuchon-Marina Mall in Lapu-Lapu City on Tuesday.
“We, in the PCOO, want to build a healthy relationship with the media as the government could not accomplish much without the help of the mass media. This is also my personal advocacy,” Andanar added.
The regional tour is a testament of President Rodrigo Duterte’s support of press freedom in the country, he said.
Andanar also solicited the local media’s assistance in disseminating information on the government’s programs and policies, including federalism and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.
He asked the Cebu media to likewise help promote the Department of Tourism’s “Better Boracay” program, the Malasakit Centers, and the implementation of the national ID or the Philippine Identification System.
Andanar said the Philippine Statistics Authority is set to test the national ID system for six months in a pilot area targeting one million registrants.
He also handed out copies of the Handbook on Personal Security Measures for Media Practitioners during the affair.
The handbook was published by the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), which was created by Duterte in October 2016 in order to institutionalize mechanisms that will protect the government’s partners in mass media.
The Communications secretary said the PTFoMS and the handbook are proof of President Duterte’s commitment to protect media practitioners against violence and crime.
“The creation of the PTFoMS and the publishing of this handbook only show how important media people are to the President,” Andanar said.
Andanar and his team are slated to go to Cagayan de Oro City for their mission to build a healthy and stronger cooperation with the media nationwide. (Luel Galarpe/PNA)
