By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) acting Secretary Dave Gomez on Monday announced that a “fair, honest-to-goodness, and unbiased” performance audit of the agency is now underway, as he laid out his priorities to sharpen government messaging, improve media access, and combat misinformation.
In a media interview, Gomez said he intends to sit down one-on-one with key officials and unit heads to gain a deeper understanding of the organization’s operations and performance.
“I really have to do my homework. I need to study the organization, how it works. The mandate is clear with me, but it should not be about me. It should be about the President, the President’s policies and how I can communicate it better and socialize,” said Gomez, who earlier took his oath before President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Gomez vowed to “be fair with everyone” in carrying out the internal audit.
He noted there is no set timeline for the review, but stressed that the process is “really urgent.”
“I want to sit with them one-on-one, have a deep dive with them and conduct an honest-to-goodness performance review,” he added.
Gomez said his focus areas include effectively communicating the President’s programs and policies, promoting press freedom, and accelerating the agency’s digital transformation.
“The priority is to communicate the programs and policies of the President, promote press freedom, and push the digital transformation of the PCO,” he said, adding that expanding the agency’s digital footprint is crucial for broader public engagement.
A former journalist with The Philippine Star and member of the Malacañang Press Corps, Gomez also vowed to enhance the working environment and coverage conditions for media covering the Palace.
On tackling disinformation, Gomez said the fight will continue.
“Fake news is doing a lot of disservice to the Filipino people. We have to correct the misinformation and just present the facts to the people,” he said.
Asked whether the PCO would shift its communication strategy to help improve the President’s popularity, Gomez said, “That’s part of the things that I would have to revisit and study.”
Gomez is the fifth official to head the PCO under the Marcos administration, after Jay Ruiz, Cesar Chavez, Cheloy Garafil, and Trixie Cruz-Angeles.
