The government’s official news agency was placed under the direct supervision of the then Bureau of National and Foreign Information (BNFI), predecessor of the present News and Information Bureau (NIB).


PNA initially used the old equipment, including typewriters and teletype machines, bought by the government from the owners of the defunct PNS.


The infant news agency continued to use the old PNS editorial offices at the second floor of the National Press Club in Inramuros, Manila. It retained the first two words of its predecessor’s name, except for a slight variation -– that of replacing the word “Service” with “Agency.” Thus, the old PNS initials became “PNA.”


Another very slight revision was made in the first word (Philippine) of the old news outfit. To emphasize government ownership of the replacement news agency, the letter “S” was added to officially become Philippines News Agency and distinguish it from the no-longer existing Philippine News Service.


Two veteran journalists headed an original 11-member editorial, administrative and technical staff in Manila that put PNA into initial operations, transmitting stories filed by the first batch of 27 news correspondents and stringers picked from selected areas of the country – from Tuguegarao in Cagayan, Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, and Baguio City in the north, down to Cebu City, Iloilo City and Bacolod City in the Visayas, and Davao City, Zamboanga City and Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao, including Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.


Under Executive Order No. 4 issued on July 30, 2010 by President Benigno S. Aquino III, through Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr., PNA was placed under the control and supervision of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), headed by Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr.


Now located at the second floor of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Building along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City, PNA is under the direct supervision of PIA Director General Jose A. Fabia.


Atty. Fabia has designated PIA Deputy Director General Virgilio D. Galvez as the news agency’s Supervising Officer. Galvez is assisted in the agency’s day-to-day operations by acting Executive Editor Danilo C. Taguibao.





Reference: Philippine News Agency

March 1, 1973: the Philippines News Agency was born