The government’s new communications group is eyeing a 2011 budget proposal lower than this year’s P1.2 billion in line with President Aquino’s thrust on fiscal prudence.

Secretary Herminio Coloma, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head, said they will follow the President’s directives for each government department to reduce their proposed budget and discontinue unnecessary spending for next year.

Coloma, who has virtually assumed the role of Press Secretary given his wide scope of responsibilities in the communications group, said he plans to meet with Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning secretary Ramon Carandang to rationalize the group’s proposed budget.

“We will not exceed the present budget because the President’s guidelines are clear that it should be less than the 2010 (budget),” he said over government radio. “Secretary Carandang and I will sit down and study how much budget we need to run the government’s communication group and harmonize our functions,” he added.

As head of the reorganized OPS that handles most attached agencies, Coloma said he would likely lead the presentation of the communications group’s 2011 budget proposal during the hearings in Congress.

He said he will also be accompanied by other officials from the group to defend their proposed outlay. Aquino earlier approved the proposed P1.645-trillion national budget for 2011, that included several belt-tightening measures to curb the bloated budget deficit.

As Cabinet-rank head of the PCOO, Coloma also said he would undergo the confirmation process before the bicameral Commission on Appointments.

Coloma has apparently assumed the role of the Press Secretary with the issuance of the Executive Order No. 4 that reorganized and renamed OPS into PCOO. As PCOO head, Coloma has control and supervision of the Philippine Information Agency, government television and radio stations, National Printing Office, among others.

EO 4 also created PCDSPO which is headed by Carandang to handle the messaging aspect of the communications group. His office has lesser attached government agencies and is expected to get a smaller budget, compared to Coloma’s office.

“It is tradition that the Press Secretary faces the Commission on Appointments,” he said. “It is clear that I will face the CA. I ready to face them,” he said, addign the CA process is part of the system of checks and balances of the legislature.

Coloma admitted that he doesn’t know if Carandang will still undergo CA confirmation, adding this matter is subject to further review. Carandang earlier told reporters he has sought a legal opinion about the structure of the communications group, admitting he is unaware if he is under the Office of the President and if he will face the CA for confirmation.

Coloma, meantime, also announced plans to privatize two government sequestered television stations within the next two years. If the privatization of RPN-9 and IBC-13 could be done in less than the timeframe, Coloma said this would be better.

“The important thing is the privatization will be clear and beneficial to the government and accordance with the law,” he said. (Genalyn Kabiling)