Q&A:

Weng dela Fuente (NET25): Sir, as incoming PCOO Chief, what is your impression of the job? And as early as today, what are your plans for the agency or the department?

SEC. ANDANAR: I was really impressed by the different bureaus Secretary Coloma has shown earlier. Now, I guess the job for me is to continue the good projects that he has done and also craft the National Communications Strategy that I have presented to the President-elect (Rodrigo) Duterte.

Ms. dela Fuente: And sir, what will be the scope of your job? Will you also be speaking for the President just like Secretary Coloma?

SEC. ANDANAR: For now, the scope of my job is to manage all the government media entities and to maintain good media relationship with everyone of you.

Roices Sibal (TV-5): Hi sir, will there be changes siguro — you said that you will continue the reforms implemented  by the good Secretary Coloma, pero magkakaroon ba ng like changes since sa NEWS5, sa former work mo, medyo innovative ‘yung approach na mga hinawakan mo — ‘yung mga hinawakan mo medyo innovative and can we expect that also dito sa mga…

SEC. ANDANAR: Yes, we will beef up. As we were touring Channel 4, Radyo ng Bayan, I guess the foundations have been laid and my job is to continue and even — well, they say that if you want a good legacy, you have to surpass the previous work. And as the Secretary showed earlier — mini lunch meeting with staff. So bukod doon sa telebisyon, bukod doon sa radyo, na we have to improve on that. We also want to build the online presence. We would like to build platforms. We are planning to print our own weekly tabloid. And, of course, it is not all cast in stone. Maraming pagbabago pa as we, the team, do our jobs.

Ms. Sibal: How about revamp sa mga agencies na hawak mo?

SEC. ANDANAR: Yes, there will be revamp. I mean just like any new administration, nagkakaroon ng mga pagbabago nang kaunti. Those who are good, the co-terminus appointments that have shown good performance, not necessarily they will be fired. The good ones will be retained.

Lei Alviz (GMA-7): Sir, how will you describe the National Communications Strategy that you’ve crafted for President-elect Duterte?

SEC. ANDANAR: As much as I would love to share with you now, the other members of the Cabinet — Secretary Bong Go of PMS (Presidential Management Staff), Executive Secretary (Salvador) Medialdea, the incoming Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco and, of course, the President — will have to approve this national communications policy or strategy that I proposed to implement.

Andreo Calonzo (Bloomberg): Sir, you have mentioned in your briefing in Davao, I think last week, that you also plan to give Mayor Duterte a weekly talk show? Na-raise niyo na po ba sa kanya ito? Ano ang thoughts niya dito?

SEC. ANDANAR: I have raised this with the people I mentioned earlier, sina incoming Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco and incoming PMS Secretary Bong Go. I have raised it and okay naman sa kanila. 

We still have to talk about this. It is essentially —  the “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” is a weekly TV and radio program the incoming President had in Davao, every Sunday iyon e. And it’s essentially a program that talks to the masa and addresses problems of the masa. It’s as transparent as you can get.

And we would want to — I would propose to bring that here in Manila and make it a national program.

Mr. Calonzo: Sir, isa na lang po. Iyong… Na-mention niyo po kanina ‘yung you plan to print your own government weekly tabloid. What is your vision on this? Ano pong gagawin niyo?

SEC. ANDANAR: The vision of that is essentially to tell the people what are the available services of the government. And also to print the achievements or the policies that the people need to know. And I believe, the Secretary has left two printing agencies that are high-tech. So, I guess, it can manage the job, ‘di ba, Secretary?

SEC. COLOMA: Of course.

SEC. ANDANAR: Yeah.

Reymund Tinaza (Bombo Radyo): Hi sir, good afternoon. Sir, considering this [referring to President-elect Duterte] — considered to be challenging subject or principal for you, so what could be your biggest challenge with this job?

SEC. ANDANAR: My biggest challenge is to surpass the achievements of Secretary Sonny Coloma, my professor at the Asian Institute of Management. Pero, I guess, I just live a couple of blocks away from him so kung meron akong problema, tatawagan ko lang si Secretary.

The challenge is really running the agency. I mean, nakita niyo naman siguro ang PCOO, ang daming ahensiya sa ilalim nito and the incoming President, Rody Duterte, said that there will be more changes to come for the good of society: Change is coming. 

So, of course, you have to literally follow the marching orders of the President.

Mr. Tinaza: Sir, last point. How will you smoothen — I mean, what do you call that — ease the seeming tension between now the media and your principal, President-elect Duterte?

SEC. ANDANAR: I will have to sit down with two other Cabinet members of the Communications Group and one is Atty. Sal Panelo and the other one we will announce soon kung sino iyon.

And we will have to craft a media relations strategy but if you ask me personally, what I will personally do is… I’ll talk to you. The office will be open for you guys and we can just talk.

Henry Uri (DZRH): Secretary, how competitive our broadcast facilities are in terms of modern equipment and reach considering the fact na ito ‘yung gagamitin ng Duterte administration? Kaya na ba nating makipagsabayan sa mga [networks]…

SEC. ANDANAR: After what I have seen this morning, what Secretary Coloma showed me, and I think the job will be easier. So you just wait and see. You might want to move to the station, Henry, if you see what we will do.

Marie Peña Ruiz: Kaya naming mag-live nationwide.

SEC. COLOMA: I showed Martin ‘yung capabilities ng Presidential Broadcast Staff and RTVM (Radio- Television Malacanang) kung paano ito nag-serve as the host broadcaster during the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation). Nakita niyo naman lahat iyon and during the Papal visit. So he had a briefing also from RTVM earlier this afternoon. Kasama naman kasi iyan doon  sa broadcast infrastructure ng Office of the President.

Genalyn Kabiling (Manila Bulletin): Hello, sir. Sir, will you ask or appeal to President-elect Duterte to reconsider his  boycott on the media and probably hold regular press conferences instead?

SEC. ANDANAR: I have yet to meet Secretary Bong Go. When I go to Davao tomorrow, we will discuss his plans.

Ms. Kabiling: But do you think he should at least consider it and hold more press conferences and be more open to the press? 

SEC. ANDANAR: Yeah. I will talk to Secretary Bong Go and we will go from there. I can’t answer that question because I am not at liberty  to answer that question.