DIPOLOG CITY (PIA) – In pursuit of providing accurate, timely, and relevant information to enable citizens to participate in, and benefit from, government programs, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), headed by its Planning and Communication Research Division (PCRD) went down to the grassroots to conduct a survey on the information needs of the community.
This nationwide study, with 1,200 randomly selected participants from all over the country, aims to bridge the gap between government communicators and their audience by empowering the public to voice their opinions on their needs, resources, issues, and perspectives on policies or programs intended for their benefit.
During the Zamboanga Peninsula (ZamPen) leg of the survey, spanning seven days, the survey team went to Barangays Dicayas and Barra in Dipolog City, Barangays Muñoz and Gunyan in the Municipality of Siayan for Zamboanga del Norte; Barangays Sta. Maria and Buenavista in Pagadian City for Zamboanga del Sur; Barangays Bawang and Labrador in the Municipality of Buug, Barangays Don Andres and Pangi in the Municipality of Ipil before reaching its final destination in Barangays Pob. Muslim and Moalboal in the Municipality of Titay for the Province of Zamboanga Sibugay.
Overall, 73 randomly selected respondents were interviewed during the first half of the survey. The second half will be conducted in the province of Tawi-Tawi in the first week of December later this year.
Results from this study will hopefully provide leaders, decision-makers, and policymakers with a deeper and more profound data-based understanding of the community’s needs and aid in planning processes and program improvements.
These efforts are all made with the hope of building public trust in government initiatives, and fostering community support.
The study will also aid the PIA in understanding the current information landscape, leading to the identification and utilization of the most effective strategies to communicate government policies and information to the public. (EDT/PJF/PIA9-Zamboanga del Norte)
