An Assessment of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) New Media Operations and Its Use of Social Media as a Tool for Government Communication

Abstract

Social Media has become a tool for government communication due to its capacity for real-time and interactive information sharing. In the Philippines, Social Media has become one of the major platforms of government communication when the New Media department under the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) was created. The PCOO New Media handles the Social Media accounts, the website, and the e-mail of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. It manages the online interactions of the President. The study’s basic research question is “Is PCOO New Media efficiently using Social Media as a tool for Government Communication?”. The study aims to assess the operation of PCOO New Media and contribute to the concept and practice of E-Government in the Philippines in the context of adopting and managing new technologies for Government Communication. The paper also aims to contribute to the concept of New Public Management that supposes that the introduction of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in government enhances efficiency, service quality, and accountability in the public sector.  The study accomplishes the following objectives: first, to assess whether PCOO New Media applies Government Communication principles in its day-to-day operations; second, to assess whether PCOO New Media, in its usage of Social Media, applies E-Government principles in its day-to-day operations; third, to assess the efficiency of the use of Social Media as a vehicle for government communication; fourth, to recommend criteria for evaluating the operation of the newly created New Media department of the Presidential Communications Operations Office of the Philippine Government.; and lastly, to give recommendations based on best practices on the use of Social Media in other countries.  From an operations research framework, the study employs the following research methods: first, primary techniques of data gathering through interviews with key people concerned with operations of the PCOO New Media; second, secondary techniques of data gathering through statistical data obtained from social media analytics, accomplishment reports, agency memoranda related to PCOO New Media; third, review of related literature regarding E-Government, Government Communication, Social Media, and case studies of government agencies using Social Media. The researcher used Edward’s (1972) Software, Hardware, Environment, Livewire or SHEL Model to assess the operation of PCOO New Media.  By employing the SHEL Model for assessing PCOO New Media, the study arrived at the following preliminary findings: first, PCOO New Media have set up policies to guide its operations, but it remains incomprehensive and lacking in strategic approach; second, PCOO New Media still lacks the physical infrastructures and human resources to operate efficiently; third, PCOO New Media needs to establish links with other government agencies to provide seamless information delivery; fourth, PCOO New Media needs more resources to implement its plans and to efficiently pursue with its operation. The study concludes and recommends that PCOO New Media has already set up policies and has already invested on technologies to support its operation. PCOO New Media has no specific framework/policy/mechanism to guide the planning, implementation, and monitoring of its operations and projects. The study suggests the use of Edward’s (1972) SHEL model which the researcher modified according to the needs of PCOO New Media. The study identifies gaps in terms of policy and hardware capacity of the agency that needs to be addressed through creation of policies and investment on physical infrastructures to support operations.