THE House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations chaired by Rep. Elizaldy Co (Party-list, AKO BICOL) on Tuesday ended the briefing and discussions on the P1.792-billion budget proposal of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and its attached agencies for fiscal year 2024.
PCO Secretary Atty. Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil led in the presentation of the highlights of the PCO P1.792-billion budget proposal, which is P11.574 million higher than the agency’s 2023 budget of P1.780-billion.
Committee Senior Vice Chairperson Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo of Marikina City opened the briefing, stating that the House recognizes the importance of transparent communication and accurate dissemination of information. “In this era of rapid digital communication, where the truth sometimes finds itself tangled amidst the complexities of misinformation and fake news, the role of the PCO becomes even more pronounced.
The PCO is the bridge through which the Executive’s policies, initiatives and messages are communicated to the public.
Its role in ensuring that citizens have access to accurate and reliable information is integral to the functioning of our democratic society,” Rep. Quimbo said.
She elaborated that the PCO’s role is not merely a matter of communication. “It’s about fostering a society that thrives on facts and knowledge. One that is shielded from the wounding influence of falsehoods. As we delve into discussions of PCO’s budget, it is crucial to consider its alignment with the broader objective of transparency, open governance and the dissemination of factual information,” she explained.
She urged everyone to “work together to nurture a population of critical thinkers and responsible decision-makers.”
Sec. Garafil noted that their proposed 2024 budget is lower than the allotments in previous years, despite the fact that the PCO’s new mandate is expanded and it has more new projects being implemented pursuant to Executive Order No. 16.
The PCO Proper and its attached agencies have a proposed budget of P1.793-billion for 2024. She expressed hope that the committee will also approve the PCO’s Tier 2 program proposals amounting to P364.9-million, which essentially cover the operations, activities and projects of the PCO’s new media clusters. Included in Tier 2 are Media Literacy Campaign, Expansion of Freedom of Information Campaign, Climate Change Fora in Malacañang, Bagong Pilipinas Debates, among others.
During interpellation, Rep. Paul Ruiz Daza (1st District, Northern Samar) asked what is the top PCO accomplishment this year that Sec. Garafil can really be proud of. She replied that it is the Media Literacy Information Campaign and the coverage of the President’s national and foreign events. Rep. Arlene Brosas (Party-list, Gabriela) noted that red tagging is not in the PCO’s present policies, and encouraged PCO to “Keep it up.”
