LAMITAN CITY, Basilan (PIA) – The newly appointed Barangay Information Officers Network (BION) in the 45 barangays here is set to play a critical role in empowering local communities through the dissemination of accurate and relevant information.
The Lamitan City BION, who took their oath recently followed by capacity building, marked the start of their journey as information catalysts in their respective communities.
The BION capacity building highlighted the information officers’ roles, responsibilities and necessary skills to productively perform their duties as expressed in Executive Order No. 02, series of 2025, issued by the City Government.
Noemi B. Edaga, regional head of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Zamboanga Information Center , who served as guest speaker, emphasized the significance of truthfulness in communication, urging the officers to uphold integrity in their messaging.
“Nobody can destroy you if you are telling the truth,” she said, underlining the weight of their responsibilities to ensure the accuracy of the information shared in their communities.
Mayor Roderick H. Furigay also highlighted the importance of the BION, encouraging them to remain vigilant in the fight against misinformation.
“Being a BION member, ustedes man correct el misinformacion. Ustedes el pwede abla si ese ya dale información de ustedes barangay deberasan o hinde,” he said.
(Being a BION member, you will be the ones to correct the misinformation. You will be the one to verify whether the information being relayed is true or false.)
Meanwhile, City Information Officer Jaybel Cabañal expressed his gratitude for the support and sessions provided during the event.
“Dahil po sa mga lectures na binigay sa kanila, mas naintindihan po nila yung weight ng kanilang responsibility, and mas magiging effective po sila sa pagnanavigate ng kanilang roles sa barangay.”
(Because of the lectures that we gave to them, the officers now understood the weight of their responsibilities and they will be more effective in navigating their roles in their respective barangays.)
The BION in Lamitan City was originally established in 2020 under the leadership of the late Mayor Rose Furigay, who recognized the critical need for effective communication channels within the city’s barangays. (EDT/NDR/LAU/PIA9-Basilan)
