Gomez orders PCO performance audit

Newly-minted Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Acting Secretary Dave Gomez on Monday said he will do a “performance audit” of the entire organization as he assumes the top government communications role.

“I need to conduct a fair, honest-to-goodness, and unbiased performance audit of the office. I want to be fair to everyone,” he said during a casual meeting with reporters as he roamed around the New Executive Building where the PCO has its offices.

He extended a helping hand to the Palace press in their coverage of the President.

Gomez is a former journalist who once covered Malacañang. He was a member of the Malacañang Press Corps during the time of President Fidel Ramos.

The new PCO chief said he has scheduled a meeting with the whole department to review their performances.

“It’s really very urgent,” he said, referring to the audit. “So, we started this morning, several more meetings this afternoon and tomorrow. All heads, I want to sit down with them one-on-one…a deep-dive with them and review… conduct an honest-to-goodness audit performance audit.”

Asked if he was looking for current PCO officials to hand in their courtesy resignations, he said it was not the time, noting that his priority is to assess the department’s performance.

A ‘job to do’

Gomez acknowledged that he is the fifth PCO secretary under the Marcos administration which is marking the first half of its term.

“I just look at it objectively. I’m the fifth, I have a job to do, I have to do it well. I serve the President,” he said.

He said that he will focus more on communicating the policies and programs of the government while promoting press freedom and the digital transformation of the PCO.

Gomez added that the programs implemented by his predecessor, fellow former journalist Jay Ruiz, against misinformation will continue under his watch.

“It will continue. I mean, fake news is doing a lot of disservice to the Filipino people. We need to correct the misinformation and just present the facts as they are to the people,” he said.

Garin also sworn in

Earlier, Marcos swore in Gomez and Energy Secretary Sharon Garin.

Gomez took his oath of office before Marcos days after his official appointment as head of the PCO. Earlier, he took the oath before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.

Marcos underscored Gomez’s extensive experience that would enable the government to boost its messaging to the public.

The new PCO chief replaced Ruiz who was appointed to the board of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan.

Meanwhile, new Energy Secretary Sharon Garin has officially assumed office, replacing Raphael Lotilla who was reassigned to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Garin had previously served as officer-in-charge of the Department of Energy.