Reorganizing the Presidential Communications Office

February 13, 2023

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 16

REORGANIZING THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

WHEREAS, Section 17, Article VII of the Constitution vests in the President the power of control over all executive departments, bureaus and offices, and the mandate to ensure the faithful executions of laws;

WHEREAS, Section 31, Chapter 10, Title III of Executive Order (EO) No. 292 of the "Administrative Code of 1987," provides that the President, in order to achieve simplicity, economy and efficiency, shall have the continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the Office of the President (OP);

WHEREAS, EO No. 2 (s. 2022) reorganized the communications agencies and offices, in view of the need to rationalize and consolidate the communications arm of the Administration for a more efficient delivery of public service;

WHEREAS, EO No. 11 (s. 2022), which further streamlined the administrative structure of the OP, renamed the Office of the Press Secretary as the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), and placed the same under the direct control and supervision of the President;

WHEREAS, under EO No. 11, the PCO shall be responsible for crafting, formulating, developing, enhancing, and coordinating the messaging system of the Executive branch and the OP; and

WHEREAS, there is a need to reorganize the PCO to ensure rationalization of its organizational structure, functions, and staffing pattern, consistent with the Administration's continuing efforts towards efficiency and responsiveness in the delivery of critical mandates to the Filipino people;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR., President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Presidential Communications Office. — The PCO, which shall be headed by a Secretary, shall serve as the primary office of the Executive branch in engaging and involving the citizenry and the mass media in enriching the quality of public discourse on all matters of governance. For this purpose, the PCO shall be responsible in crafting, formulating, developing, enhancing, and coordinating the messaging system of the Executive branch and the OP.

SECTION 2. Structure of the PCO. — The PCO Secretary, in the exercise of overall control and supervision of the PCO, shall be assisted by five (5) Undersecretaries and fourteen (14) Assistant Secretaries, with one (1) Assistant Secretary directly reporting to the PCO Secretary. The Secretary is hereby authorized to continuously assess and evaluate, and on the basis thereof, transfer, delineate, reassign, or reorganize the functional areas of responsibility of each Undersecretary and/or Assistant Secretary as he or she may deem necessary.

The Undersecretaries shall each be assigned and put in charge of the following functional areas of responsibility:

a. Traditional Media and External Affairs;

b. Digital Media Services;

c. Content Production;

d. Broadcast Production; and

e. Operations, Administration and Finance.

The PCO Secretary and the Presidential Adviser for Creative Communications shall closely coordinate with each other on matters relating to communications and information dissemination, and the development and enhancement of the messaging system of the Executive branch and the OP.

SECTION 3. Traditional Media and External Affairs. — The Undersecretary for Traditional Media and External Affairs shall, among others, be responsible for formulating and implementing messaging directives, and ensuring the efficient delivery of essential communication and messaging services of the Executive branch and the OP through various industry assets. The Undersecretary shall be assisted by five (5) Assistant Secretaries who shall each be in charge of Radio, Print, Television, External Affairs, and Media Accreditation and Relations, respectively.

SECTION 4. Digital Media Services. — The Undersecretary for Digital Media Services shall be tasked to, among others, formulate and implement programs and policies on the responsible and efficient use of digital media assets and communication tools. The Undersecretary shall be assisted by two (2) Assistant Secretaries: one (1) for Digital Media and Communications; and one (1) for Digital Assets Management.

SECTION 5. Content Production. — The Undersecretary for Content Production shall, among others, be in charge of providing close-in coverage of the official activities of the President, as well as the management and utilization of data related thereto. The Undersecretary shall be assisted by one (1) Assistant Secretary.

SECTION 6. Broadcast Production. — The Undersecretary for Broadcast Production shall, among others, manage and organize live productions for broadcast. The Undersecretary shall be assisted by one (1) Assistant Secretary.

SECTION 7. Operations, Administration and Finance. — The Undersecretary for Operations, Administration and Finance shall, among others, be responsible for the delivery of essential administrative and financial services to support the core mandates of the PCO. The Undersecretary shall be assisted by four (4) Assistant Secretaries who shall each be in charge of Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), Finance, Administration, and Operations, respectively.

The People's Television Network, Inc., APO Production Unit, Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation, and National Printing Office are hereby attached to the PCO, which shall exercise administrative supervision over said attached agencies. The Assistant Secretary for GOCCs shall supervise, coordinate, and monitor the activities of the aforementioned agencies, oversee their compliance with their core mandates, evaluate their performance, and recommend changes to their structure and operations, if necessary, to ensure quality public service.

SECTION 8. Other Communication Agencies. — The following communication agencies shall be under the direct control and supervision of the PCO:

a. Presidential Broadcast Service-Bureau of Broadcast Services;

b. Bureau of Communication Services;

c. News and Information Bureau;

d. Freedom of Information-Program Management Office;

e. Philippine Information Agency (PIA); and

f. Presidential Broadcast Staff-Radio Television Malacañang.

The PIA shall continue to be headed by a Director-General, with the rank of an Undersecretary, and shall be supported by four (4) Deputy Directors-General with the rank, salary and emoluments of an Assistant Secretary, and four (4) Assistant Directors-General with the rank, salary and emoluments of a Director IV. The Deputy Directors-General and Assistant Directors-General shall be entitled to their respective support staff. The divisions and regional offices of the PIA shall each be headed by a Director II, to be appointed by the Director-General, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations. The PCO Secretary, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Career Executive Service (CES) Board, as the case may be, may recommend the qualification standards for the aforementioned positions within the PIA, in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations.

SECTION 9. Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern. — All existing divisions and units of the PCO shall be reorganized consistent with the functional areas provided under this Order. The PCO Secretary, in coordination with the DBM, may recommend the abolition of redundant positions, divisions, and units, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations. Affected personnel of the PCO shall be allowed to avail of the benefits provided under existing laws, if applicable. The DBM is hereby ordered to release the necessary funds for the benefits of eligible employees.

The PCO Secretary shall further determine the appropriate staffing pattern and corresponding qualification standards for all positions under the new structure. For this purpose, the PCO shall submit to the DBM, for review and approval, a revised organizational structure and staffing pattern of the PCO, pursuant to this Order and subject to compliance with relevant laws, rules and regulations.

SECTION 10. Funding. — The funds necessary for the implementation of this Order shall be charged to the available appropriations of the PCO, subject to relevant budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations. Thereafter, the subsequent funding requirements for the purpose shall be included in the budget proposal of the PCO, subject to the usual budget preparation process.

SECTION 11. Separability. — If any section or part of this Order is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 12. Repeal. — This Order hereby amends or modifies relevant provisions of EO No. 2 (s. 2022). All other issuances, orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof that are inconsistent with this Order, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity. — This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 13th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty-Three.