Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC directed on Thursday all the regional directors and the schools division/city superintendents to designate communications officers who will work with DepEd through the Communications Unit.

“The designation of communications officers in regional and division officers is in compliance with the directive of President Benigno S. Aquino III for government agencies to be more responsive to the needs of and transparent with the media and the public,” Luistro said.

Through DepEd Order 99, s. 2010, Luistro ordered the designation of regional and division communications officers who shall be tasked to assist and act as point persons in addressing issues and concerns raised by the public and the media involving their offices.

“They should also inform DepEd, through the Communications Unit, any untoward incidents in their respective areas and submit a detailed report within 24 hours to the Main Office,” he said.

The communication officers, said Luistro, will also provide news feeds to the Communications Unit for possible inclusion in media releases to national papers. “This does not preclude any contributions submitted to the Educational Information Division (EID) for printing in the EducNews.”