WHEREAS, it is the avowed policy of this administration to ensure transparency and full and appropriate disclosure of policies, programs, official activities, and achievements of the Office of the President and Executive Branch which are of public concern;

WHEREAS, the task of informing and communicating to the Filipino people the policies, programs, official activities, and achievements of the Office of the President and the Executive Branch presently involves, aside from the Office of the Press Secretary, several offices and agencies, the functions of some of which overlap;

WHEREAS, there is a vital need to re-organize and effect functional changes within the Office of the Press Secretary and create an office to systemize, rationalize and complement the existing structure to achieve a more efficient and systematic interaction between the people, the Office of the President, and the Executive Branch;

WHEREAS, it is likewise imperative that government re-defines its efforts to integrate and harmonize its message conceptualization, formulation and development policies and programs in order to fully utilize the opportunities arising from the rapid development of existing and emerging media;

WHEREAS, under Section 31, Chapter 20, Title III, Book III of the Administrative Code of 1987, the President has the continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the Office of the President.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OPERATIONS OFFICE. The Office of the Press Secretary shall be reorganized and renamed as the Presidential Communications Operations Office which shall be headed by the Presidential Communications and Operations Head who shall have the rank of Cabinet Secretary with all the corresponding salaries, emoluments, and benefits.

SECTION 2. FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OPERATIONS OFFICE. The Presidential Communications Operations Office shall perform the following functions:

a. Develop and implement necessary guidelines and mechanisms pertaining to the delivery and dissemination of information relating to the policies, programs, official activities and achievements of the President and the Executive Branch;
b. Develop, manage and operate viable government-owned or controlled information dissemination structure/facilities to provide the Office of the President in particular, and the Executive Branch in general, access to the people as an alternative to the private mass media entities;
c. Set up and maintain local and international field offices, where necessary, to ensure that accurate information from the President and the Executive Branch is promptly and efficiently relayed, delivered and disseminated to intended target audiences;
d. Manage, control or supervise, as may be necessary, the various government agencies and offices involved in information gathering and dissemination;
e. Coordinate and cultivate relations with private media;
f. Manage and administer the OP Website and the Web Development Office;
g. Perform such other functions as the President may assign from time to time.

SECTION 3. OFFICE PROPER. The Presidential Communications Operations Office shall maintain such deputies and assistants as may be necessary to enable performance of its functions, including the following:

a. Undersecretary for Administration and Finance;
b. Undersecretary for Operations;
c. Chief of Staff,
d. Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs.
e. Electronic Data Processing Division Chief;

SECTION 4. AGENCIES, BUREAUS, AND OTHER OFFICES ATTACHED TO THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OPERATIONS OFFICE. The following agencies, bureaus, and offices shall be under the control and supervision of the Presidential Communications Operations Office:

a. News and Information Bureau;
b. Philippine News Agency;
c. Philippine Information Agency
d. Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) 13;
e. RPN 9;
f. NBN 4;
g. PBS-Radio-Television Malacanang
h. Bureau of Broadcast Services
i. Bureau of Communications Services;
i. National Printing Office;
k. APO Production Unit; and
l. OP Web Development Office

SECTION 5. CREATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING OFFICE. There is hereby established the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office.

SECTION 6. FUNCTIONS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING OFFICE . T he P r es ident ial Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office shall perform the following functions:

a. Coordinate the crafting, formulation, development and enhancement of the messaging system under the Office of the President;
b. Design and recommend responses to issues that arise on a daily basis.
c. Ensure consistency in the messages issued by the Executive Department;
d. Assist in the formulation and implementation of new media strategies for the Office of the President;
e. Assist in research and development of new media instruments;
f. Liaise with the Malaca ang Records Office;
g. Control and supervise the conduct of market research, monitoring public opinion, and gathering, use and analysis of other relevant data as may be necessary;
h. Formulate editorial guidelines and policies for state media;
i. Ensure consistency in the implementation of the corporate identity of the Executive Department;
j. Act as custodian of the institutional memory of the Office of the President, which includes the supervision and control of the Presidential Museum and Library, and liaison with the Malaca ang Records Office;
k. Perform editorial functions for the Official Gazette,
l. Perform such other functions as may be directed by the President.

SECTION 7. THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING OFFICE MANAGEMENT. The Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office shall be managed by the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Head who shall have the rank of Cabinet Secretary, with all the corresponding salaries, emoluments, and benefits.

The Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Head shall be assisted by a Deputy, who shall have the rank of Undersecretary, with all the corresponding salaries, emoluments, and benefits, and whose functions shall be assigned by the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Head.

The Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office shall likewise have such other support service offices as may be necessary to enable the performance of its functions, including the following:

a. Chief of Staff,
b. Assistant Secretary for Messaging
c. Electronic Data Processing Division Chief;

SECTION 8. AGENCIES, BUREAUS, AND OTHER OFFICES ATTACHED TO THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING OFFICE. The following agencies, bureaus, and offices shall be attached to the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office.

a. Presidential Message Staff;
b. OP Correspondence Office, (previously placed under the Office of the Communications Director from the Presidential Management Staff per E.O. No. 348, 11 August 2004)
c. Media Research and Development Staff, (as created by E.O. No. 297, 25 July 1987, from the Office of the Press Secretary;)
d. Presidential Museum and Library
e. Official Gazette; and
f. Speech Writers Group (previously placed under the Office of the Communications Director from the Presidential Management Staff per E.O. No. 348, 11 August 2004)

SECTION 9. STAFFING REQUIREMENTS. The Presidential Communications Operations Office and the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management shall formulate and establish the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the affected offices under this Executive Order, composed of such administrative and technical personnel as may be deemed necessary to efficiently and effectively carry out the functions and duties prescribed herein, subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and Management, and the Office of the President, thru the Executive Secretary.

SECTION 10. APPROPRIATIONS. The budget of the offices herein reorganized and created shall be sources from the remaining budget of the Office of the Press Secretary, and the Office of the President, as may be appropriate, for the current year, subject to existing and applicable laws, rules and regulations. The succeeding years ™ appropriations for the said offices shall be prepared in accordance with regular government budget procedures.

SECTION 11. DISCHARGE OF FUNCTIONS. Except as may be required under this Executive Order, all covered officials, offices or agencies shall continue with the discharge of their respective functions and responsibilities as defined under existing law or issuances.

SECTION 12. IMPLEMENTING RULES. The Executive Secretary is hereby authorized to issue such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions this Executive Order. He is also designated to determine the functional divisions of the offices, agencies, and bureaus herein mentioned all under the control and supervision of the Office of the President, thru the Executive Secretary.

SECTION 13. REPEALING CLAUSE. All orders, circulars, rules, regulations, and/ or issuance/s, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Executive Order are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 14. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Executive Order shall be held unconstitutional, the remainder not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 12. EFFECTIVITY. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

(SGD.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

By the President:

(SGD. ) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
  Executive Secretary