PIA strengthens information delivery to grassroots

By Venus H. Sarmiento

Wednesday 27th of June 2012

DAGUPAN CITY, June 27 (PIA) -– The Philippine Information Agency have laid out programs to strengthen delivery of relevant and timely information to the public down to the grassroots and collate feedbacks from the people to be brought to the attention of Malacañan.

Secretary Herminio ‘Sonny ‘ Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) stressed the importance of bringing news on government programs to the people when he met with information officers of the PIA north-central Luzon cluster Friday at the Azalea Residences in Baguio City.

“It is important for us to inform the public of what the government is doing for them and at the same time receive feedbacks,” Coloma said.

The feedbacks, he added, will be brought to the attention of President Benigno Aquino III and will be acted upon in accordance with the “matuwid na daan (straight path)” policy.

With the intensified campaign comes the shift to the new paradigm of communication, which includes social media. Aside from utilizing traditional media like newspapers and radio stations, PIA will add the social media to its roster of communication strategies.

Statistics show that at least 33 million Filipinos use the internet and owners of cellphones are estimated at 75 to 80 million.

”The numbers are increasing rapidly,” according to Coloma.

Thus, PIA partnered with organized groups and communication facilities and schemes like textblasting to reach as many people.

PIA also maintains a website that contains timely information from the provinces as well as a Weather Watch template where real time weather conditions all over the Philippines are reflected. A geo-hazard map of every province can also be accessed through the PIA website

Seventeen provinces comprising Regions I, 2, 3 and the Cordillera were represented by managers of PIA in the cluster meeting. (ANL/VHS-PIA 1 Pangasinan)