Coloma welcomes successor to PCOO media outlets

Incoming Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar (right) pose for a souvenir photo with outgoing Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. during their visit at the different government media offices located at the National Media Center in Quezon City on Monday. Seen at the background is a portion of the 500-foot high PTV4 transmitter tower. (Photo: Oliver Marquez/PNA)

MANILA – Outgoing Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. welcomed his successor, broadcast journalist Martin Andanar, by touring him to state-run media offices at the Philippine Information Agency compound in Visayas Avenue, Quezon City on Monday.

In a chance interview, Coloma said he invited Andanar to discuss the transition work to be done in the agency.

“Malugod kong inanyayahan ang aking kaibigan at susunod na kalihim para makita niya yung sitwasyon ng mass media assets ng ating pamahalaan. Nais kong magkaron siya ng malawak na ideya hinggil sa kabuuan at kung paano maaring gamitin ng Duterte administration sa pagpapalaganap ng mensahe ng pamahalaan [I invited him to see the government’s mass media assets and how the Duterte administration can maximize government media’s potential in information dissemination],” Coloma said.

Andanar, Coloma’s former student at the Asian Institute of Management, said he was impressed at the operations of the government media outlets.

He also vowed to continue the best practices and further improve government media operations.

“Sinigurado ko malaman kung ano ang meron o wala sa PCOO. Mag-rereport ako bukas kay Pres. Rody Duterte and we have to prepare for the first big event and that’s the inaugural [I made sure to know the status of PCOO and I will report this to Pres. Rody tomorrow],” he said.

Prior to the tour, Coloma briefed Andanar on the ongoing collaborative projects of all media outlets under PCOO, namely the Philippines News Agency, Philippine Information Agency, Philippine Broadcasting Service-Radyo ng Bayan and People’s Television Network.

“Isa dun yung convergence natin sa media ng bayan kasi iba-iba ang government media assets. Sinalaysay ko kung paano nag-uugnay ang mga ito at ano ang resources available [I briefed him about how these government media outlets converge, how they work together and the resources available],” Coloma said.