QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) has started its Barangay Information Officers Network (BION), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering barangay officials as key communicators in five key provinces in Mindanao.
This project seeks to bridge the gap between government programs and services and the communities they serve, ensuring that vital information reaches the grassroots level.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO), through the PIA, gathered today, Nov. 14, around 400 barangay information officers from across the Soccsksargen region to introduce capacity-building approaches aimed at enhancing their skills. This initiative seeks to empower them effective and productive government communicators, ensuring they stay relevant in delivering public information.
The PIA recognizes the vital role of communication in the promotion and implementation of government programs/projects, policies, and activities in reaching the grassroots communities and proposes to mobilize and capacitate members of the communities as communicators of vital information-dissemination efforts.
The event is also in collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, this being the overseeing arm of the local government units.
Recognizing the crucial role of effective communication in reaching the public, BION proposes to mobilize and capacitate barangay information officers (BIOs) as reliable sources of information.
These BIOs will form a network that acts as a vital link between national-level information and the barangays, serving as a channel for feedback from communities to the national government.
This initiative is a testament to PIA’s commitment to strengthening communication channels and empowering communities to participate in development efforts.
The BION project is expected to have a significant impact on the lives of people in Mindanao, ensuring that they are informed and empowered to contribute to the region’s progress.
A Multi-Phase Approach to Empowering BIOs
The BION project will be implemented in multiple phases:
- Orientation for Municipal/City Information Officers: PIA will conduct an orientation for municipal/city information officers (IOs) to introduce the BION program and guide them in establishing their own BIO networks within their respective local government units (LGUs).
- Mobilization and Organization of BIOs: Barangays will designate an information officer and an alternate. These BIOs will be briefed on their roles and functions by PIA Information Centers, in close collaboration with municipal/city IOs and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
- Training and Induction of BIOs: The selected BIOs will undergo a comprehensive training program, covering:
- Data Gathering and Interpretation: BIOs will learn techniques for gathering accurate information from various sources, ensuring they are not misled by unverified information. They will also be trained on data processing for public consumption.
- Introduction to Other Government Agencies: The BIOs will be introduced to other government agencies and their programs, enabling them to access assistance and resources available to their communities.
- Development Communication (DevCom): BIOs will receive training in basic news and feature writing in both English and local dialects, equipping them with the skills to effectively communicate development messages.
- Establishment of BION: The BIOs will be organized into a network, maximizing their collective efforts as government communicators and amplifiers of DevCom messages.
The Bion project intends to increase awareness and understanding of government programs and services. Enhance the skills of BIOs in gathering, processing, and disseminating information. Facilitate communication between government agencies and communities.
Combat the spread of fake news and misinformation. Strengthen the role of barangays as information hubs and communication gatekeepers. (PIA DMD)
