The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) has assured Filipinos that the government would be more “responsive” to their needs.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said rather than just disseminating information on policies, programs, activities, and achievements, the OPS would also invite feedback from the public as part of efforts to encourage citizen engagement.

“Hindi lang po kami nagde-disseminate ng impormasyon. Bahagi po ng ating mandato ay makinig (We do not just disseminate information. Part of our mandate is to listen),” Cruz-Angeles said during her virtual attendance of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media hearing on Monday.

She said the government would be monitoring social media platforms to get immediate responses from netizens.

“Mahalaga sa amin yung social media namin dahil nakikita namin dito kung ano yung mga larangan kung saan namin kailangan punuin ng impormasyon na kinakailangan ng taongbayan (Our social media is important because through it we can see the areas where we need to fill people in on the information they need),” she added.

Cruz-Angeles said feedback delivered via the postal system would also be accepted.

Meanwhile, she said the OPS is working on its vision of placing the communication units of agencies of the Executive Branch on the front line of information.

Her office is also exerting efforts to “reduce disinformation, misinformation, and mal-information through streamlining of the information process.”

Other plans include:

• The National Printing Office and APO Production Unit target to minimize printing costs to attain a long-term goal that will encourage reading and writing books;
• The Philippine News Agency (PNA) portal will be relaunched as the country’s premier news portal;
• PTV-4 will become the primary channel for news, public service, and information in the country;
• IBC-13 is in the works to be the avenue of culture, arts, and educational shows;
• Philippine Broadcasting Service stations will air more Filipino works in music and literature; and
• The OPS Digital Media Unit will work with agencies in upgrading their websites to be more responsive, user-friendly, and packed with information.

Under Executive Order 2, the OPS reorganizes and replaces the now defunct Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and its attached agencies.

The OPS currently supervises the operations of state-run TV stations PTV-4 and IBC-13, radio station Radyo Pilipinas, and the PNA. (PNA)