THE House committee on appropriations, chaired by Davao City Representative Karlo Nograles, has approved the P1.47-billion budget of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) for the year 2019.
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar presented the details of the budget: personal services, P709.363 million; maintenance and other operating expenses, P699.713 million; and capital outlay, P64.907 million.
The proposed budget is higher by 2.75 percent, or by P39.434 million, compared to the 2018 PCOO budget of P1.43 billion.
During the hearing, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate noted that the PCOO is among the agencies that got a budget increase while the some agencies got budget cuts.
Among the agencies that got budget cuts are the Department of Health, Department of Education and the Department of Public Works and Highway.
During the hearing, Zarate has also asked the department on how Assistant Secretary Margaux "Mocha" Uson is being held liable over her controversial posts, including her federalism video that went viral.
Assistant Secretary Marie Banaag said Uson was given a memo reminding her of the code of ethics following the incident. A fact-finding probe was also conducted after the PCOO received complaints against Uson through its 8888 hotline.
“We are not just watching what is happening. We are listening and our office is doing something to direct Asec Mocha’s office because the mandate of the PCOO is to promote the positive portrayal of women,” said Banaag.
She added: “We know we are accountable for what we post."
Answering Zarate’s question if Uson should really be joining the foreign trips of President Rodrigo Duterte, Andanar said Uson is being requested by the Office of the President and in some instances by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Uson is now in Jordan with President Rodrigo Duterte.
Amid controversies hounding the agency, Andanar boasted that the PTV is now number 4 in the ratings.
He also said the PCOO has strengthened its social media presence. He also boasted that the presidential communications Facebook page, now has 1.5 million followers while PTV has 1.7 million followers.
“We are doing everything we can to reform government media,” said Andanar.
Andanar said the PCOO is now building a media hub in Mindanao that will house all the attached agencies under PCOO including the Philippine News Agency, Radio Pilipinas and the PTV.
Once this is finished, the creation of a Visayas media hub in Cebu will follow, he said.
The PCOO is one of the most criticized agencies under the Dutere government for its many blunders. Its leadership has been repeatedly urged to fire Uson whom several called a fake news peddler. (SunStar Philippines)