Reporters rap Malacañang’s communications group
OFFICERS and members of the Malacanang Press Corps, a premier group of journalists covering the Office of the President, on Tuesday urged communications officials of the Palace to “come prepared for press briefings.”
The one- page letter dated January 30 told officials that they wanted changes in “how you conduct briefings and disseminate information.”
“Please come prepared to our press briefings. The running jokes of your ‘ I don’t know, I will check, I am not aware, Let me get back to you’ replies are no longer funny [ They were funny when we raised these with you in July 2010, but you have been in your respective posts for 19 months now],” the press corps said.
“We come to the press briefings prepared with our questions. We read newspapers, listen to the radio and monitor online news sources to make sure the questions we ask are relevant and fresh. We expect the same diligence from your end. Please do your homework. Or
you may ask your staff to do your homework for you if you are tied up with presidential events,” it added.
The letter was addressed to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., spokesman Edwin Lacierda and his deputy Abigail Valte and communications executives Ricky Carandang and Herminio Coloma.
The press corps is seeking an audience with the concerned officials anytime today to thresh out kinks in the briefings and dissemination of information.
Reporters were complaining about the wanton disregard of the officials to answer any query.
“When you tell us you will get back to us with the information we need, do so, and within the day,” the reporters said.
“Please coordinate among yourselves on the information that we need, especially on the matter of appointments and executive issuances. If you have administrative problems among yourselves, that is not really our concern anymore. What we do not want is for presidential appointments being announced in various departments or agencies which the MPC [Malacanang Press Corps] could not confirm because you do not have information on the same,” they added.
The press corps cited instances when it failed to get hold of information on important appointments such as those of Oficer- in- Charge Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Philippine Coast Guard head Edmund Tan, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Pedro Corales, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Jessie Dellosa and Administrator Hans Cacdac of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.
The journalists urged the officials to follow usual channels in announcing important information.
“Please do not think we are stopping you from using your Twitter or Facebook accounts. But please do not make announcements in your online social networking sites before relaying your statement to us. We are all a text away,” they said.
According to the press corps, they also need briefings during holidays.
The reporters also want early briefings particularly for radio and online reporters.
“Radio and online reporters need a statement from your end in the morning, preferably before 10 a. m. This would give them the news they need, and would give you the chance to set the tone of the news for the day,” they said.
The letter was signed by officials of the press corps led by its president Joyce Panares of Manila Standrad Today and her three vice presidents, Marie Ruiz for radio ( dzrb), Genalyn Kabiling for print ( Manila Bulletin) and Willard Cheng for television ( ABS- CBN).