Soon-Ruiz slams ‘unethical’ memo by Mandaue City PIO

Vice Mayor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz. | CDN Digital photo / Mary Rose Sagarino

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Is there a gag order at the Mandaue City Hall?

For Vice Mayor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, the issuance of a memorandum directing department heads at the Mandaue City Hall to coordinate with the city’s Public Information Office (PIO) prior to the conduct of media interview, was unethical.

“I-agi pa gyud sa PIO ngano ingon ana man? Where is the freedom of speech? Ibutang nato, tanang department heads naay kaugalingong expertise, ngano i-agi paman sa PIO ang ilang gustong isulti para ma-screen lang gyud? Naunsa naman ning atong dakbayan?” said Soon-Ruiz.

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(Do we have to course it through the PIO? Where is the freedom of speech? Let’s just say that department heads have their own expertise, why do they have to go through the PIO, so that whatever it is that they have to say will be screened? What is happening to our city?)

Karla Victoria Cortes, the city’s Public Information Officer, is yet to issue a comment on the statement of Soon-Ruiz as of this writing.

Gag order?

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When asked for comment if a gag order is now being implemented at City Hall, Atty. Jamaal James Calipayan, Mandaue City’s Administrator, said that it does not.

Calipayan said that the PIO merely wanted to ensure proper coordination in their media releases.

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Soon-Ruiz was basing her statement on the recent memorandum issued by the PIO directing department heads to coordinate with their office before granting media interviews.  This was noted by Mayor Glenn Bercede.

The memo, signed on February 20, requires all department heads to inform the PIO ahead of scheduled media engagements, including interviews, press conferences, and public statements.  The PIO would then provide approval and guidance on the messaging and content to ensure alignment with the city’s official stance.

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It also mandates that a PIO personnel should be present during media engagements to offer support and ensure proper documentation. It stresses that any statements issued to the media must be coordinated with the PIO to avoid misinformation or miscommunication.

Strong concerns

“This measure is essential to ensure a streamlined process, avoid miscommunication, and uphold the integrity of the information being disseminated,” read part of the memorandum.

It further states that the PIO serves as the primary liaison for media interactions, guiding messaging, ensuring content accuracy, and aligning it with the city’s objectives, adding that “the policy is intended to enhance public trust, promote transparency, and ensure effective communication with both the media and the public.”

Soon-Ruiz has expressed strong concerns about the new policy, which she said limits the freedom of speech of department heads to speak about their areas of expertise.

“Pareha aning rabies cases ron sa Mandaue, kay sa ubang lugar tag-as kaayong cases. Unya dili kahatag og data ang City Veterinarian kay mananghid pa sa PIO?” she said.

(Just like the rabies cases in Mandaue, because rabies cases are high in other localities.  Can the City Veterinarian not give data [on our rabies cases] without the approval of the PIO?)

Greater transparency

Soon-Ruiz said that while her office also received a copy of the memo, this will not apply to her as an elected official.

The Vice Mayor argued on the need to allow a free flow of information and greater transparency for the benefit of the Mandauehanons.

Moreover, Soon-Ruiz said that such a memo, if needed, should not come from the PIO but from the Office of the Mayor in the form of an executive order.

She said that just like the offices that are covered by the memo, the PIO is also a mere office at City Hall.

Meanwhile, Calipayan stressed that they are not trying to withhold information.

“Walay gag order. Coordination with PIO kay basin ang statement nga gihimo nila (department heads) gani kay dili mao ang nahibaw-an sa pio. Unya si pio mohimo og iyang statement, aw iwit naba iya statement o unsa ba, moingon unya mo wa man ni nagkadimao ila statement,” Calipayan told reporters in a separate interview.

(There is no gag order. Its’ a mere coordination with the PIO to make sure that the statements that they (department heads) have prepared are known to the PIO. And when the PIO makes a statement and it is not attuned with that of the department heads, this may result to confusion.)