Andanar meets with Trixie Cruz-Angeles, other incoming PCOO officials

Outgoing Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar met with his successor, lawyer Trixie Cruz-Angeles, and her team on Wednesday.

A statement released by Andanar's office said pertinent documents from the agency were turned over to Angeles' team, which will take over on Thursday when Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. assumes the presidency.

Andanar expressed confidence that Angeles would sustain the Duterte administration's effort to improve government media such as the Philippine News Agency, People's Television, Philippine Information Agency, and Radio Television Malacañang.

“To our successors, may you continue to exhibit what real public service is and manifest a sense of determination to serve the common interests of the public. May you continue to support and pursue PCOO advocacies and aspirations of empowering every Filipino through correct and professional information delivery," Andanar said.

He also called on the incoming PCOO officials to continue to promote the freedom of information, rally behind the protection of media personnel, and push for the legislation of the Media Workers’ Welfare Bill.

Angeles responded by promising to provide "more depth and more dimension" to what the departing PCOO leadership had already accomplished.

“I’m so glad to see that so much has been accomplished in the previous administration, and what we would like to do [is to] bring more depth, more dimension to what we have already achieved,” she said.

During the handover ceremony, Angeles also introduced the other incoming PCOO officials, namely, former broadcast journalists Ina Reformina and Dale de Vera, as well as Greggy Eugenio, Marlon Purificacion, Bobby Ricohermoso, Emerald Ridao, Andrei del Rosario, Atty. Eugene Rodriguez, Kitz Barja, Aristotle Aguilar, and Jan Paul Songsong.

Angeles previously worked as a social media strategist for the PCOO from 2017 to 2018.

She also worked as deputy chairperson of the National Committee on Monuments and Sites and as legal counsel for the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. —VBL, GMA News