‘Nation-building’ under Duterte administration

EDITORIAL

The government would like to reach out to all sectors of society and be transparent in government transactions, Presidential Communications Office(PCO) Assistant Secretary Ramon Cualoping  said as he urged the public to be partners “meaningful for change” during the 107th  Baguio City Charter Day program  at the Baguio Convention Center here, Monday.

Cualoping, who represented PCO Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar as event’s guest of honor,   expressed  appreciation for the city’s support to President Rodrigo  Duterte the last election  as  he called for continuing partnership in moving the country forward towards a meaningful change.

“Nowadays, communication is not telling about the glory of the past or an important part of history but to inspire all Filipinos, in taking a role in moving us forward as one nation to create a new history that will bring forth a better, meaningful and peaceful life for all the citizenry, regardless of economic status, and show the world that we are ready to compete or even be at par with other nations,” he said.

Cualoping said just like the roads going in and out of Baguio  where aside from the long journey there are many turns and twists that the mountainous road trail gives anyone a challenge, under Duterte’s leadership, the Filipino people are also embarking on a big challenge in bringing in meaningful and positive change for the country.

In two months, the President’s peace and order campaign already gained ground, he said.“Aside from significantly lowering crime rates, there are already around 600 thousands persons involved in illegal drugs who already submitted themselves to law enforcement authorities.”

Aside from law and order, the President also has socio- economic programs that aim to expedite the lowering of poverty level among the Filipino people, Cualoping added.

All directives and actions of the President will reportedly be communicated down to the  grassroots while people’s concerns will  be heard by the  President  through the presidential  communications networksaid Cualoping and PCO undersecretary Anna Marie Banaag bared during a press conference in Baguio.

Cualoping disclosed that PCO is preparing a new government portal (www.gov.ph) that will be one-stop-shop for the Filipino people to get information on what is happening in executive, legislative and judicial branches of government and  other government e-services they can avail of including request for information. 

The portal is expected to be operational   later this year.

Cualoping said “under the Duterte Administration, it will be participatory governance with communication going to be a two-way thing. This will be done primarily through PCO bureaus and their networks.”

Banaag  meanwhile said the PCO under Sec. Martin Andanar,  will utilize all  its attached agencies  including the Philippine Information Agency, News and Information Bureau- Philippine News Agency, People’s Television (PTV) and Radyo ng Bayan,   to bring down  government  information  to  and  gather feedback from  countryside.

A government tabloid called Mula Sa Masa, Para Sa Masa, a   bi-monthly publication will also be distributed for free.

‘We need to get in touch on the ground, as it is better if we can see on the ground for the government and the people to feel the participatory governance’, Cualoping said.

Banaag said for any concern or problem on how citizens are served by the government, they can always call on the President’s hotline 8888 so that proper response or action can be done.

The  government will continue to report  to the public the  accomplishments and plans of the Duterte administration every 50 days, just as  it did during the  50 first days  last August 18,  Cualoping said.