Palace formally replaces OPS with two-headed PCOO

(Updated 3 p.m.) Malacañang finally issued Executive Order (EO) No. 4 formally creating the administration's communications team tasked to disseminate messages from President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and receive feedback from the public. EO No. 4 restructures the Office of the Press Secretary and renames it the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). "There is a vital need to re-organize and effect functional changes within the Office of the Press Secretary and create an office to systematize, rationalize, and complement the existing structure to achieve a more efficient and systematic interaction between the people, the Office of the President, and the Executive Branch," according to EO 4. The PCOO has two heads — former broadcaster Ricky Carandang and former Department of Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Sonny Coloma, both with Cabinet rank. Its tasks include developing guidelines on information dissemination and managing state-owned media entities for the Office of the President and the rest of the executive branch. Coloma was designated the Presidential Communications Operations (PCO) head in charge of supervising state-owned media entities and disseminating information to private media companies. The agencies placed under Coloma's supervision are the News and Information Bureau, the Philippine News Agency, the Philippine Information Agency, IBC 13, RPN 9, NBN 4, PBS-Radio-Television Malacanang, OP Web Development Office, APO Production Unit, National Printing Office, Bureau of Broadcast Services, and Bureau of Communications Services. Meanwhile, Carandang was named the head of Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning (PCDSP). His team is tasked with devising the government's communications strategy, crafting the speeches and statements of President Aquino and conducting market research and polling. Carandang will be assisted by his deputy, former Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Manuel L. Quezon III, who has the rank of undersecretary. As director of Strategic Planning, Quezon will also be the editor-in-chief of the Official Gazette and will undertake the New Media responsibilities of the PCDSP. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, who has the rank of Cabinet secretary, will be under the Office of the President but he will be working closely with the PCOO. According to EO 4, it is "imperative that government redefines its efforts to integrate and harmonize its message conceptualization, formation and development policies and programs in order to fully utilize the opportunities arising from the rapid development of existing and emerging media." Coloma, Carandang, and Quezon have been working in Malacañang since mid-June even though their appointments have not been formalized until the signing of EO No. 4 last July 30. Unusual Having two Cabinet officials in one department is considered unusual in the Philippine government system, and concerns have been raised about possible problems when the Commission on Appointments (CA) reviews the choices made by the President. There has also been speculation that the unique setup reflects the factions among Aquino’s supporters during the campaign: Carandang was reportedly supported by campaigners of the Liberal Party political tandem of Aquino and former Senator Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, while Coloma is said to belong to the camp that supported Aquino and Vice-President Jejomar Binay. Lacierda said the Palace is still studying who among the two Cabinet officials — Carandang and Coloma — will defend the Communications Group's 2011 budget before Congress in September. Lacierda said the requirement for CA approval in the appointment of the head of the OPS began during the administration of Aquino's mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino. "Naging practice na po after ni Pangulong Cory Aquino. Gusto niya ilabas lahat ng mga Cabinet secretary, she decided [na] ipapa-confirm sa Office of the Press Secretary (It became the practice after the administration of President Cory Aquino. She wanted all her Cabinet secretaries to be made public so she decided to have them confirmed)," he said. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima is studying whether the appointments of Carandang and Coloma as secretaries have to be confirmed by the CA, the Palace spokesman said. — RSJ/VVP, GMANews.TV