Information dissemination in limbo as Cebu City still without PIO

Local

By MyTVCebu Desk

THE Cebu City Public Information Office (PIO) remains without a designated head over a month into the new administration.

This is a leadership gap that city officials fear may weaken crisis response, disrupt public messaging, and stall the city’s push for transparency.

Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) chief Henry Tomalabcad confirmed the vacancy in an interview on Tuesday, August 5, warning that without a PIO head, the city’s communications arm is essentially operating “without direction.”

“Karun, so far, wala pa gyud tay head. Maybe naa na’y candidate si Mayor pero hangtod karon, wala pa may formal nga designation,” Tomalabcad said.

He cited the previous arrangement under former Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, when Ramil Ayuman served as PIO head while concurrently holding the post of head of the City Security Unit.

Tomalabcad said the absence of a communications head not only slows down the delivery of city government updates but also jeopardizes accuracy and coordination in public information efforts.

“Para nako, importante gyud nga naay PIO head. Ang PIO maoy mo-disseminate sa services ug programs sa city. Kung walay ulo, [lahi-lahi] ang direction. Dapat naa untay head kay gusto nato nga truthful and accurate ang reporting unsay gibuhat sa atong administration,” he said.

A staff member, who declined to be named, also expressed concern about the operational confusion caused by the leadership vacuum.

“Wala mi’y klarong direksyon karon. Supposedly ang PIO mo-align sa mayor. Karon, tungod kay walay head, nahimo mi’g reactive ra. Kung unsa lang ang muabot nga task, mao ra sad among buhaton,” the source said.

“Aside from messaging, ang PIO sad ang mo-handle sa image sa mayor. Kung wala mi’y gi-assign nga leader, latagaw gyud mi. Medyo lost mi.”

Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. has previously told reporters that a PIO head will be appointed “in the next few weeks.” However, no official appointment has been confirmed as of August 5.

Sources say some names have been floated internally, but none have been vetted or finalized.

“Naay daw initial candidates, pero hangtod karon, unverified pa,” the staff added.

Without a clear point person, even coordination with the media has been hampered. Reporters who go to City Hall for interviews with Archival are often told by protocol officers that the mayor’s schedule is too tight and no media requests can be accommodated without prior notice or approval.

Under government communication guidelines, the PIO serves as the LGU’s official mouthpiece, tasked with providing the public and the media with accurate, timely, and relevant information about city programs and services.

It also plays a crucial role in managing the local government’s reputation, addressing misinformation, and providing crisis communication during disasters or public health emergencies.

“Even Malacañang has one [PIO],” Tomalabcad pointed out.

The leadership void in the PIO comes as Cebu City Hall navigates a delicate staffing situation. Despite Archival’s hiring freeze due to a budget shortfall, 235 new casual employees were taken in as of July 22, alongside 59 re-hires and over 2,000 renewed workers.

However, no job order (JO) personnel have had their contracts renewed, pending the submission of project proposals and manpower requests from department heads to the mayor.

“Ang JOs, naghulat pa gihapon. Wala pa may approved project proposal or manpower request nga nadawat,” Tomalabcad said.

The HRDO chief added that, per their agreement with the mayor, only endorsements from the Office of the Mayor will be honored moving forward.

“Dili na mi modawat og endorsement gikan sa ubang opisina. Ang chief of staff sa mayor lang ang mohatod sa dokumento sa HR,” he said.(TGP)