PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur (PIA) – The Philippine Information Agency, through its provincial information center here, recently conducted an orientation and capacity-building session for its information volunteers, also known as “iVolts”.
The initiative aims to empower campus-based volunteers with the skills needed to combat misinformation and improve community trust in government information.
Around 30 participants from various state universities and colleges (SUCs) and higher education institutions (HEIs) joined the core group of the iVolts program. Each participating institution selected one adviser and two campus leaders or student journalists to represent them. This initiative is supported by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) under Regional Memorandum Order no. 112 s. 2024, which calls on schools to take part in the Information Volunteers Network.
The Information Volunteer Network, spearheaded by the PIA, aims to strengthen the flow of accurate, relevant, and timely information within campuses. The goal of the program is to create more informed community residents, particularly the youth, so they can access and benefit from essential government programs, projects, and services that improve their quality of life.
During the orientation, participants were introduced to their roles and responsibilities as iVolts, which included training on spotting fake news and practicing basic news writing and captioning.
Jane Abeso, a student from J.H. Cerilles State College, shared her excitement about her new role as an information volunteer.
“This orientation is really helpful for me and my fellow student journalists for us to be more knowledgeable on how to filter news (information) and how to spot fake news to avoid spreading those,” she said.
“I want to be someone who knows what to say and what to do — not only on the campus premises but also in the community,” she added.
One of the advisers, Verna Mae Alob of Yllana Bay View College, emphasized the role of accurate information in building institutional trust.
“We really need to have the [right] information to be able to provide the correct one nga makatabang sa atoang mga estudyante (one that can help our students) and also to gain the trust of our community,” she explained.
As iVolts move forward, they are expected to take an active role in information dissemination and further training sessions, equipping them to become dependable advocates of truthful information. The program underscores PIA’s commitment to enhancing information literacy, especially among the youth, who are instrumental in spreading awareness and fostering an informed society. (EDT/HTB/PIA9 Zamboanga del Sur)
