Martin Andanar eyes renaming PCOO

MANILA, Philippines – Broadcast personality Martin Andanar, the incoming chief of the Presidential Communications Office (PCOO), revealed on Wednesday that he wants to rename the agency once he takes office.

"I'm recommending to changing the name, bawasan ang 'O' so Presidential Communications Office na lang. Just ditch the 'Operations' para mas madaling matandaan," Andanar said in an ambush interview as seen on the STAR's Facebook Live.

Andanar added that the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) will be abolished.

"We are subsuming the function of (PCDSPO Undersecretary) Manolo Quezon right now so parang ang lalabas dito bumabalik yung dating organization para hindi magulo," Andanar said.

In 2010, President Benigno Aquino III renamed the Office of the Press Secretary into the PCOO and created the PCDSPO.

The PCOO under Herminio "Sonny" Coloma Jr. handles messaging while the PCDSPO, headed by Quezon, takes charge of dissemination and state-run media entities.

"Kasi wala namang mga gulo na nangyayari sa amin tulad nung nakaraan," Andanar said, referring to the alleged factions within the Cabinet of Aquino in 2010 which resulted to miscommunication among officials.

Andanar said that there will only be a Presidential Communications Office Secretary and Presidential Spokesperson under the Duterte administration. This is in contrast to the three-person communication team that the Aquino administration introduced. — Based on a video by Robertzon Ramirez