RP officials: Hiring PR firm for US trip was worth it

Hiring a US-based public relations firm for President Benigno Aquino III’s weeklong visit to America was totally worth it, Cabinet officials said Thursday. In a press briefing in Malacañang, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo pointed out why taking on Kreab Gavin Anderson as the government’s PR firm in the US was a good idea. The fee was “too low" and “very cheap," he said. The government paid Kreab Gavin Anderson $15,000. Domingo, who with Aquino’s official delegation to the US, said hiring the firm was “way, way worth it." “I come from the private sector, and for an institution as big as the Republic of the Philippines, you really need an international PR firm to support it," he said. Hiring Kreab Gavin Anderson was necessary because there were several other heads of states who were in New York for the United Nations general assembly, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras reiterated. “Hindi po tayo tagaroon (We are not from there). Somebody has to coordinate schedules, making sure that these things happen at this time, at this place," he said. “This was not about promotion. This was more about coordination. This was making sure that we talk to the right people," Almendras said. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima earlier said hiring the firm for Aquino’s visit was necessary because the government wants to send a clear message worldwide through the international business media. Arranged by the PR firm, Aquino was interviewed by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal during his working trip to the US. Cabinet members were also interviewed by Bloomberg and Reuters. When he came back from US, Aquino said he and his entourage were able to secure $2.4 billion in investments and the creation of more than 43,000 jobs for the next three years. —VS, GMANews.TV