CALAPAN CITY (PIA) — Media practitioners from Mindoro island take active participation in the recently-conducted Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Media Orientation organized by the Philippine Information Agency.
The orientation held in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro also became an avenue for the media practitioners to clarify and raise concerns regarding the implementation of programs under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in Oriental and Occidental Mindoro.
During the event, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) commit to conduct monitoring, consultation and dialogue among the local government units and friends rescued (FR) beneficiaries, hoping to enhance awareness on Local Peace Engagement (LPE) efforts across all media platforms to achieve peace with the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Ma. Celin Mendoza, Peace Program Officer V of OPAPRU, said that the government is sustaining the gains achieved by the NTF-ELCAC through the implementation of the Transformation Program.
“This is done by ensuring the implementation of the Transformation Program, which is designed to meet the needs of former rebels, their families, and their communities. The program ensures their full reintegration into society and contributes to the resolution of the local communist armed conflict,” she said.
“On the analysis of the first cluster [of ELCAC], they [Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict] attributed the successes of the security sector to the effectiveness of local peace engagement, the whole of nation approach, and kudos to all LGU’s good governance. However, the first cluster also reported that kinetic actions are still necessary to address the remnants of armed combatants,” NICA regional director Ariel T. Perlado said.
PIA Deputy Director-General for Creative Communications and External Affairs Katherine Chloe S. De Castro said the orientation also aims to bring back the good relationship of the government with the media.
Meanwhile, PIA Deputy Director-General for Regional Operations Adolfo Ares P. Gutierrez, in his message, said that the agency is also exerting efforts to convince some government agencies of the importance of media coordination for the whole-of-nation approach.
“Ipinapaliwanag rin namin sa mga kasama namin sa iba’t ibang ahensya na mahalaga na makipag-ugnayan sa media, na hindi kalaban at sila ay kakampi. Ginagawan natin ng paraan ‘yan, hindi ‘yan mabilis, slow burn,” Gutierrez said.
On the other hand, PIA Director-General Jose A. Torres Jr. said that more than just disseminating information, it is also important that the journalists unite in expressing messages that will connect the government and the communities.
“Sa ating layunin na makamit ang pangmatagalang kapayapaan at kaunlaran sa ating bansa, napakahalaga na ang bawat aspeto ng ating komunidad ay maipahayag ng maayos at tama, ngunit higit sa pagpapalaganap lamang ng impormasyon mahalaga rin na tayo ay makiisa sa pagpapahayag ng mga mensahe na mag-uugnay sa pamahalaan at sa ating mga komunidad. Sa misyon nating ito, tayo ay mga instrumento ng pagpapahayag ng kwento, damdamin at pangarap ng bawat Pilipino,” Torres said.
Several media practitioners from the Mindoro province also expressed their full support and gratitude to the programs of PIA .
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa PIA sa kanilang programa at sa media orientation na ito dahil nararamdaman namin mga taga-media na kami ay kasangga tungo sa kapayapaan at kaisa sa pagbabahagi ng balita sa mamamayan,” said Cris De Jaro, publisher of the Island Profiles.
“Salamat sa PIA at nabibigyan ng kahalagahan ang role naming mga taga media. Sana ay magkaroon pa ng training programs upang mas lalo pang ma-enhance ang aming knowledge and skills,” said Edison Mancera, radio station manager and host of MIB4. (AS/PIA MIMAROPA)
