By Brian Campued
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) acting Secretary Dave Gomez on Tuesday stressed that the PCO does not pay reactors and vloggers to support the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Gomez remarked during the hearing of the House Committee on Appropriations on the proposed budget of the PCO for 2026.
This as SAGIP Party-list Rep. Paolo Marcoleta asked the Communications chief regarding the rumors that the PCO “maintains” around 200 reactors and 76 vloggers to put positive reactions on the agency’s online content.
“We don’t maintain reactors and vloggers; we have organic supporters of the President who comment on our posts,” Gomez said.
“Those are organic, real people commenting on our posts, commenting on the activities [and] programs of the President and they are, by no means, employed by us,” he added.
Gomez likewise assured the committee and the public that the PCO, under his leadership, is committed to his “3Ps minus One” strategy—to communicate effectively and efficiently the programs and policies of the President minus the politics.
For the next fiscal year, the PCO is proposing P2,808,712,000 as budget for the agency proper as well as its agencies and government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs). These include:
- PCO proper – P972.020 million
- Philippine Information Agency – P527.486 million
- Bureau of Broadcast Services – P512.535 million
- Radio Television Malacañang – P254.215 million
- News and Information Bureau – P163.151 million
- Bureau of Communications Services – P99.548 million
- National Printing Office – P20.993 million
- People’s Television Network, Inc. – P136.764 million
- Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation – P122.0 million
- APO Production Unit Inc. – No subsidy
According to Gomez, the proposed 2026 budget of the PCO, which represents 0.041% of the 2026 National Expenditure Program worth P6.793 trillion, would be utilized to enhance its services and deliver the message of the President closer to the people and the grassroots communities.
“We will strengthen our coverage of the President’s local and international engagements, ensuring timely, accurate, and relevant information reaching our citizenry,” he said.
“This includes maximizing both state media, traditional and digital platforms, to bring [the] government closer to the people,” he added.
When asked by Bataan 1st District Rep. Antonino Roman III regarding PCO’s efforts on addressing the proliferation of fake news and disinformation, Gomez said their agency is allotting P16 million to combat false information.
“We do a significant amount of work in terms of combating fake news and misinformation, from the digital front to coordination with other government agencies for data on these fake news sites,” he said.
Part of the agency’s initiatives to fight false information, according to Gomez, is creating content that “clarify the misinformation, correct the misinformation, and outright dispute that fake news.”
The PCO chief underscored the importance of having synchronized and consistent government messaging across all communication platforms to counter misinformation and disinformation.
“In terms of the systems in place, we have certain fact-checking and verification processes in place, we have our media and information literacy campaign, and the digital governance and unified messaging platforms,” Gomez said.
Aside from Gomez, the budget hearing was attended by other PCO officials as well as heads and key personnel of various state media and other attached agencies. (with report from Mela Lesmoras / PTV News)
—jpv
