MANILA – Incoming administration party PDP-Laban lauded on Friday the appointment of radio-television news anchor Martin Andanar as the incoming head of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), currently headed by Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.
PDP-Laban Regional President Manny T. Lumanao, in a statement, said this is the first time in several years that a top media personality from the Caraga Region, particularly from Siargao, Surigao del Norte, has been given a Cabinet post, and the second press secretary to come from Mindanao after Jesus Dureza, who now heads the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
Andanar is one of the very few Manila-based journalists who rooted for the Rodrigo Duterte presidency even before the Davao City mayor filed his certificate of candidacy.
“The selection of Secretary Andanar once again highlights the glut of talents from Southern Philippines and a tribute to President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte who strongly believes in the capacity of Mindanaoans to handle sensitive positions, especially in high-profile government assignments,” said Lumanao, who is himself a publisher-editor of a regional publication, The People’s Guardian.
Lumanao is also a former senior confidante of the late Press Secretary Cerge Remonde and Executive Vice President and General Manager of the state-owned APO Production Unit Inc., a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) which is under the PCOO.
Profile
Born on August 21, 1974, Andanar is radio and television broadcaster connected with TV5 in Manila. He finished elementary school at Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City; high school at the same institution and at Jose Abad Santos Memorial School, Quezon City. He graduated AB in Social and Political Studies & Film and Media Studies, Federation University, Australia; and Master in Entrepreneurship, Asian Institute of Management, with honors.
He was also an alumnus of the Center for Non-Profit Leadership (CNPL) in Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and Associate Member of the International Visitors Program, Philippines. He was also a Senior Executive Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University, Cambridge, USA.
As a broadcaster, Andanar was recognized as “Best Host” for his program Crime Klasik, supported by the Volunteers Against Crime & Corruption; and “Best Male Newscaster” by the Philippine Movie Press Club.
He was also a panelist of the FTTH Asia-Pacific Conference, Bangkok (2016) and the UbiFrance 2014, Singapore; speaker, KBP Podcast Conference, University of Santo Tomas (2016); speaker, Podcasting, Broadcast Conference Asia (2015); speaker, Online News TV, Broadcast Conference Asia (2015); and moderator, ASEAN Integration, Manila (2014), among others.
Andanar is the project developer and head of News5 Everywhere (news5.com.ph), Podcast.Ph and Audio.Ph, and is a radio news anchorman and the official voice over talent of Radyo 5 (92.3 News FM), TV5 and Aksyon TV.
He is the son of Wencelito T. Andanar, an original PDP-Laban stalwart, a former OIC-provincial governor of Surigao del Norte, and former DILG Undersecretary for Police Matters and Transnational Crime who was briefly appointed acting Secretary of the same department during the Arroyo administration.