KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) – The municipality of Tangalan recently launched its Barangay Information Officers Network (BION) at the Mayor’s Hall in Poblacion, bolstering the government’s information dissemination efforts at the grassroots level.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) – Aklan Information Center in partnership with the Aklan Public Information Officers Association (APIOA), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Tangalan, and the Local Government Unit of Tangalan, has successfully established 15 grassroots communication frontliners across the municipality’s 15 barangays.
These dedicated individuals, primarily barangay secretaries and administrative assistants, were formally designated as Barangay Information Officers through an executive order issued by their respective Punong Barangays.
The launch event included a re-orientation session conducted by PIA-Aklan, equipping the newly installed BIOs with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively serve as government communicators at the grassroots level.
Sheila Patoza of PIA-Aklan emphasized the importance of this network, stating, “PIA-6 is taking this initiative, as through you – our grassroots information frontliners, your establishment, and mobilization, could address the information gap between the people and the government.”
Tangalan Vice-Mayor Gene Fuentes welcomed the establishment of the BIOs, recognizing their crucial role in ensuring timely, accurate, and relevant information reaches the people, especially during emergencies.
“This is a significant step for Tangalan,” Fuentes said. “Having barangay information officers connected to the LGU-Tangalan Information Office, the province, and the national government, especially PIA, allows us to provide direct and accurate information to our constituents. This will be invaluable in all aspects of governance within Tangalan.”
APIOA President Reynard Dela Cruz congratulated the newly installed BIOs for accepting the responsibility of becoming the communication bridge between their communities and the government. He assured the BIO-N of Tangalan of APIOA’s unwavering support and assistance.
Dela Cruz, who also serves as the information officer for LGU-Nabas, launched the first BIO-N in Aklan on June 26, 2024, successfully mobilizing 20 grassroots communicators in Nabas.
Afga BIO Ernie Eleserio and Pudiot BIO Angelita Rubias expressed their gratitude to PIA for establishing this vital network in their barangays. They emphasized the importance of ensuring timely and accurate information delivery, as well as amplifying government projects, programs, and services at the grassroots level.
“This BIO-N will allow us to communicate truthful, accurate, timely, and relevant information to our barangays,” Eleserio said. “It will also help us effectively disseminate national government programs to the grassroots, fulfilling the President’s vision of reaching every community.”
Rubias added, “We will do our best to deliver accurate information from the national level to our constituents. This BIO-N is crucial because sometimes information doesn’t reach the barangay level. We are grateful for this opportunity to serve as the information bridge for our community.”
Meanwhile, the towns of Numancia and Malay, both with 17 barangays, are set to launch their BION this November and December 2024. (AGP/PIA Aklan)
