PCOO Undersecretary George Apacible (2nd from left) and Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan (right) with National Artist and Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) chairman Virgilio S. Almario (2nd from right) and PCOO Director for Administration Vinci Beltran (left) after the agency received the “Selyo ng Kahusayan sa Filipino 2018 Serbisyo Publiko” at the National Museum in Ermita, Manila on Friday, 24 August 2018. (PTV image) The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) has been recognized for implementing Executive Order 335, which enjoins all government departments and offices to use the Filipino language in their official transactions, communications, and correspondences.

The Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) or Commission on the Filipino Language granted the recognition during its “Selyo ng Kahusayan sa Filipino 2018 Serbisyo Publiko” awarding rites held at the National Museum in Ermita, Manila on Friday.

The PCOO (Tanggapang Pampanguluhan sa Operasyong Pangkomunikasyon) was chosen as one of five finalists for the “Selyo ng Kahusayan sa Serbisyo Publiko” (Seal of Excellence in Public Service) award.

PCOO Undersecretary George Apacible and Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan received the recognition on behalf of Secretary Martin Andanar.

The other finalists were the Kagawaran ng Turismo (Department of Tourism), Kagawaran ng Kagalingang Panlipunan at Pagpapaunlad (Department of Social Welfare and Development), Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka (Department of Agriculture) and Komisyon Laban sa Kahirapan (National Anti-Poverty Commission).

The Komisyon sa mga Filipino sa Ibayong Dagat (Commission on Filipinos Overseas) was declared overall winner for championing the use of the Filipino language while other winners were the Sentrong Medikal ng Rizal (Rizal Medical Center), Lungsod Maynila (City of Manila), Lungsod Taguig (Taguig City), Lungsod Mandaluyong (Mandaluyong City) and Korporasyong Pangkoreo ng Pilipinas (PhilPost).

National Artist and KWF chairman Virgilio S. Almario and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III led the awarding in line with the celebration of the “Buwan ng Wika”.

In his speech, Densing urged the KWF to keep on encouraging government agencies and officials to use the Filipino language in public service and in communicating with the people.

He, however, underscored the importance of teaching Filipinos how to speak English “because this is a global language.”

“Pero hindi po yan dapat ang main language natin. Filipino pa rin dapat (But it should not be our main language. It must still be Filipino),” Densing said.