Malacañang will cease holding physical press briefings with members of the Malacañang Press Corps starting today and will conduct virtual pressers to practice social distancing to combat the novel coronavirus disease-2019.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said yesterday he was already considering shifting to virtual pressers instead of holding physical press briefings.
“Lahat ‘yan i-consider natin. In fact ginagawa ng mga studio ‘yan, ‘di ba?” he said. “’Yung guest nass-Skype na. ‘Wag na nga ‘yung Skype, okay na yung boses naririnig, okay na ‘yun,” he added.
The press briefing room at the New Executive Building in Malacanang has been stripped of tables and replaced with armchairs.
Panelo said he was even expecting a glass to separate him from reporters attending his press briefings. “I was hoping nga merong mirror dito naka…Pero wala pala,” he said. “Pero okay na rin ‘yang distancing natin,” he added.
Communications Secretary Martin Andanar had earlier said that the Presidential Communications Operations Office will conduct more virtual pressers to protect members of the media.
“We have what we call the virtual presser and we will be implementing this virtual presser when it is needed, when the time comes,” he said over state-run Radyo Pilipinas. (Argyll Geducos)
