MANILA — An official of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) on Thursday vowed to pursue the agency’s mandate to promote a good portrayal of women in the public sphere, particularly through public advertisements, reporting, and other forms of communication.
PCOO Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag made the statement during the House of Representatives appropriations committee’s deliberation on the agency’s PHP1.474-billion budget for 2019.
“Ang mandato ng PCOO ay magpalaganap ng magandang portrayal or imahe ng kababaihan sa taumbayan through advertisements, through reporting, at sa lahat ng bagay concerning communications (The mandate of the PCOO is to promote a good portrayal or image of women to the public through advertisements, through reporting, and everything concerning communication),” Banaag said.
She noted that a memorandum has already been issued to PCOO officials and employees, reminding them to be mindful when dealing with gender-sensitive issues and posting these on their social media accounts. It was issued by PCOO Undersecretary for New Media and External Affairs Lorraine Marie Badoy.
The same memorandum, Banaag said, has been received by Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson in connection with her controversial dance video on federalism.
Uson posted a video on her personal blog showing blogger Drew Olivar, her co-host in Good News Game Show, singing and dancing while making vulgar gestures to raise awareness on federalism.
“Nag-issue ng memorandum kay Asec. Mocha Uson to remind her sa lahat ng pino-post niya and to remind her sa provision ng RA (Republic Act No.) 6713, (on) the norms and conduct of public officials, especially on professionalism (We already issued a memorandum to Asec. Mocha Uson to remind her [to be mindful of] the things she posts [online] and to remind her of the provision in RA 6713),” Banaag said.
“Eto po ang first na reminder na official na pina-receive po ng opisina ng PCOO through Undersecretary Badoy kay Asec. Mocha (This was the first official reminder issued by the PCOO, through Undersecretary Badoy, to Asec. Mocha),” she added.
Banaag said the PCOO does not just sit around, and in fact, is doing something to address the concerns of the public.
“Ang sinasabi lang po namin dito, hindi rin po kami nanonood lang sa mga nangyayari. Nakikinig din po kami, at may ginagawa po ang aming opisina para ma-direct din po yung opisina ni Asec. Mocha (What we’re saying here is that we do not just watch what happens. We do listen and our office is doing something to direct the office of Asec. Mocha),” she said.
Banaag said they will increase efforts to create awareness on how to better portray women, by launching a media gender and equality guidebook and creating a media gender and equality committee. (Filane Mikee Cervantes/PNA)
