MANILA – Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Tuesday led the presentation of the office’s proposed P1.91 billion budget for the Fiscal Year 2022 to Congress, to support the country’s bid to recover from the pandemic.
The agency’s proposed 2022 budget is approximately 18% higher than the P1.62 billion appropriations this year.
“As we recover as a nation, the amount will be used to communicate to the people how the Duterte administration is laying out the path for resilience and sustainability. At the same time, we will build on the gains of this government for the past five years to amplify the Pamana ng Pagbabago,” Secretary Andanar said.
Getting the biggest share of the proposed budget for next year is the PCOO proper at P740.62 million, followed by the Bureau of Broadcast Services (BBS) getting P456.03 million, and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) getting P333.54 million.
The Presidential Broadcast Staff – Radio Television Malacañang (PBS-RTVM) will get the fourth largest piece of the pie at P171.86 million, followed by the News and Information Bureau at P129.20 million, while the Bureau of Communications Services and National Printing Office will get P70.59 million, and P9.13 million respectively.
The said budget does not include the subsidy allocation for its two attached GOCCs, namely the People’s Television Network, Inc. (PTNI) and Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC).
The proposed amount of P104.94 million will go to PTNI to support its continuing modernization program to improve its reach and the quality of its programs, while P73.69 million will go to IBC to support its maintenance and other operating expenses.
This brings the proposed budget of the PCOO as a department plus the subsidy of its two attached GOCCs to P2.09 billion.
“Sticking true to our mandate, we will continue to highlight the legacy of real change that this administration brought to the Filipino people as we inch closer to the end of the Duterte administration’s term,” Secretary Andanar said.
The PCOO chief went on to discuss the continuing projects of the department, which include the construction of the Visayas Media Hub, Phase 1 construction of the Government Communications Academy, and the implementation of the Freedom of Information, among others.
Secretary Andanar also emphasized the PCOO’s continued support for the passage of priority legislations such as the Freedom of Information Bill, the Media Workers Welfare Bill, and the proposed People’s Broadcasting Corporation Act.
“It is our job to deliver accurate and valuable information with excellence, responsibility, and integrity to the Filipino people, so that they may be transformed into informed citizens and thought leaders, who will partner with us in achieving president Duterte’s legacy of providing a secure, comfortable, strongly-rooted life for all Filipinos that cascades to future generations,” he said.
“Until then, our primary objective remains: bring hope to our people that better days are coming for the Philippines,” he added.