CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — Undersecretary Jose A. Torres, Jr., director-general of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), will open the annual convention of the Regional Association of Development Information Officers (RADIO) 7 on Sept. 4 in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.
His talk on “The Role of Public Information Officers (PIOs) in Peace and Development” will set the tone of the three-day event, defining the crucial role of PIOs as government communicators to promote peace towards the path to development.
This year’s theme on “Communicating the Government’s Peace Agenda for Sustainable Tourism Development,” will highlight the relationship between a favorable peace and order climate and tourism development.
Aside from PIOs, the convention will also be attended by municipal, city, and provincial tourism officers throughout the region, as one of the objectives of the event is to strengthen the collaboration between the two sectors amid Central Visayas’ popularity as a regional tourism destination.
As a unique region, Central Visayas comprises four island provinces, each one having a lot to offer especially in the area of tourism from attractions, and food to sports and culture.
Among the four provinces, Negros Oriental is left with battling the issue on insurgency, although the declaration of a SIPS status or Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) in the province is a positive signal to boost economic growth with a relatively peaceful environment.
Tourism Sec. Christina Garcia Frasco is invited as the keynote speaker to talk on “Pushing for Peace and Development Towards a More Vibrant Tourism Industry in Central Visayas” on the second day.
Frasco is also the appointed Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) in Region 7.
Meanwhile, as the country continues to face tension in the disputed West Philippine Sea (WPS), understanding the issue and the Philippine Government policy will be discussed by Commodore Jay Tristan Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson on the WPS.
The PCG and the PIA are embarking on a nationwide advocacy campaign to counter the false narratives propagated by China that the WPS is part of their maritime domain.
On the side, the PIA-7 organized a campus engagement in partnership with the Silliman University on Sept. 5 to tackle the WPS issue.
More than 200 students are expected to attend the campus forum.
The RADIO-7 convention will also showcase the best practices on tourism initiatives and good governance by the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental.
With the creation of the Negros Island Region, this year’s RADIO-7 convention might be the last for the original Central Visayas intact with the four provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor. (FCR/PIA-7)
