The Philippine Information Agency – Calabarzon’s Kapihan sa PIA Quezon marked its seventh year by reaffirming its commitment to delivering timely and relevant government information to grassroots communities.
Hosted and produced by Joselito Giron, PIA Quezon Information Center Manager, Kapihan sa PIA Quezon is the flagship media forum program of PIA Calabarzon. It serves as a platform for regional line agencies and local government units within Quezon Province to reach their stakeholders and constituents.
The program brings together policymakers, regional line agencies, and newsmakers, effectively bridging the gap between the government and its constituents, with the media serving as the crucial link.
For Quezon-based media practitioners, Kapihan sa PIA Quezon serves as an effective platform for engaging with government agencies and private offices, gaining perspectives on pressing issues.
“Kapihan sa PIA Quezon is very helpful for new and veteran media practitioners because it makes gathering information from government and private offices easier. Kapihan makes it easier for the media to get the comments or opinions of government institutions on timely issues concerning them,” said Celine Tutor, anchor of the Punto por Punto news and public affairs program.
She stressed that Kapihan sa PIA Quezon has built a close-knit community of local media practitioners and government information officers.
“Kapihan sa PIA Quezon gave the media a chance to meet with each other and build camaraderie. It became a venue for exchanging ideas and discussing issues to which, in the end, we can contribute and help our kababayans, and vice versa,” Tutor added.
For Celine Tutor, anchor of the Punto por Punto news and public affairs program, Kapihan sa PIA Quezon has built a close-knit community of local media practitioners and government information officers. (PB/MBLito/PIA4A)
Kapihan sa PIA Quezon, which has featured hundreds of government officials, employees, and other key persons, highlights the importance of establishing connections with local media and government offices while also maximizing the reach of both traditional and social media.
Streamed live via the Philippine Information Agency Calabarzon Facebook page, Kapihan has widened its reach by partnering with local radio stations such as Radyo Pilipinas Lucena, Radyo Kaisahan 107.7 FM – Sariaya, Brigada Pilipinas Lucena, Tagkawayan Teleradyo, Idol Pinoy TV, Boses ng Barangay, and Sentinel Times, among others.
In addition to mainstream media, Kapihan sa PIA Quezon also provides community radio stations an avenue to reach listeners.
Kapihan sa PIA Quezon features government officials, employees, and other key persons. (PB/MBLito/PIA4A)
“Aside from nutrition information, PIA Quezon also helps spread awareness in Sariaya regarding the activities and programs of national government agencies,” said National Nutrition Council (NNC) Communicators’ Network and Radyo Kaisahan Program Director, Gerald Palad.
As part of the new generation of media practitioners, Palad said Kapihan sa PIA Quezon served as a training ground that provided an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in journalism.
“This program helps us expand our knowledge in journalism. I hope that fora like Kapihan will continue and have its successors. We’re so happy to be a part of this and work with veteran broadcasters here in Quezon,” Palad said, adding that continuing Kapihan sa PIA Quezon will help fight disinformation and prevent fake news from spreading.
“It’s a good thing that Kapihan was able to bring together trustworthy and respected broadcasters, specifically here in Quezon Province. Kapihan sa PIA Quezon gives every media practitioner a chance to ask questions, write their news, and disseminate verified information in their specific areas,” Palad emphasized.
From what was a requirement back in 2016, Kapihan sa PIA Quezon eventually turned out as the flagship media forum program of PIA Calabarzon.
Giron recalled: “It was a requirement then from the Regional Director [Ma. Cristina Arzadon], where each of the five Information Center Managers had to produce five episodes of Kapihan from their provinces. From there, we continued and grew until Kapihan became what it is today.”
Kapihan sa PIA Quezon has not only challenged the tradition of journalists aggressively pursuing exclusive interviews but has also pioneered an inclusive platform. This approach allowed local media to ask their questions and gather news collaboratively.
“It is important to stick with the objectives of Kapihan, so we can fulfill its purpose: asking the questions that matter,” Giron said.
Giron said that the key to the success of Kapihan sa PIA Quezon was forming human relations. Aside from bringing government information closer to the people, Kapihan sa PIA Quezon has also formed friendships with guests and partners who showed their appreciation for the program whenever they could.
“One of my unforgettable experiences was shooting Kapihan on my birthday. I was not supposed to air an episode, but the guest insisted that we continue as scheduled. Little did I know that there was a small salu-salo after the program,” Giron said.
Prior to the pandemic, the media forum was regularly held at the Pacific Mall in Lucena City to generate interest from mall goers. (PIA4A)
Kapihan sa PIA Quezon was known for its consistency, even exceeding the required number of episodes per year—even during the pandemic, at a time when the public was relying heavily on online platforms for information.
The imposition of quarantine protocols allowed them to explore video teleconferencing and live streaming platforms as substitutes for face-to-face interactions. Since then, Kapihan sa PIA Quezon embraced a hybrid setup, with guests hailing from far provinces.
Prior to the pandemic, the media forum was regularly held at the Pacific Mall in Lucena City to generate interest from mall goers.
Giron further pushed the envelope by bringing the program right at the doorsteps of PIA Calabarzon’s stakeholders by introducing special episodes of the Kapihan forum inside the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology district jail in Lucena City aptly dubbed as Kapihan sa Piitan.
Given the program’s wide reach and strong network, several local government units also tapped PIA Quezon to promote their programs and projects through the Kapihan sa PIA Quezon. Every year, the PIA Quezon mounts special episodes in Tagkawayan, Quezon, during the annual celebration of the municipality’s Kaway Festival.
Kapihan sa PIA Quezon, along with other programs launched by PIA Calabarzon, highlights the importance of information officers in disseminating information on government programs, policies, and issues to grassroots communities, as exemplified in the Unified Communications program of the Presidential Communications Office.
“Even then, Kapihan sa PIA Quezon has formed partnerships with various media organizations, including the local government units and the media–both private and government–and have established a network of Public Information Officers,” Giron said.
Catch Kapihan sa PIA Quezon every Wednesday, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., via the Philippine Information Agency CALABARZON Facebook page and its local media partners. (PB/PIA4A)
