PCOO: No public funds used for federalism roadshows this year

No public funds have been used for roadshows to promote federalism this year, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said Tuesday.

Andanar’s statement came after criticisms over the signature campaign allegedly by the government to drum up support for constitutional reform amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with Senator Nancy Binay suggesting that government funds for roadshows promoting federalism must be redirected to COVID-19 awareness programs.

“Any downloaded roadshow funds from the past year have either already been spent or have been returned to the country’s treasury to financially assist the programs and actions against COVID-19,” he said.

“No part of this year's budget or any fund has been used for any roadshow whatsoever.”

He also denied Binay’s allegation that the PCOO and the Department of the Interior and Local Government have not produced information materials in connection with the public health emergency.

"We strongly state that this is not the case," he said.

Andanar said the PCOO has released “virtual materials in respect to our government’s initiatives and response to the COVID-19 pandemic” since January this year.

“These are, of course, apart from the countless information dissemination being done by holding public briefings, creating social media content, managing Laging Handa’s COVID-19 one-stop website, and conducting virtual pressers hooked up to other media networks for more amplification,” he added.

“With that in mind, one cannot say that the PCOO has not been able to carry out its obligations of keeping the public informed of government programs and policies,” Andanar said. — BM, GMA News