DIPOLOG CITY (PIA) – In an effort to harmonize all government communication efforts within Zamboanga del Norte, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) revived its provincial Communicators’ Network via conference-meeting centering on reactivation of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC), its status, and ways forward.
Composed of different National Government Agencies (NGAs) in the province, the Zamboanga del Norte Communicators’ Network intends to establish a coordinated network of information officers to harness the power of information and communication to effect positive change in the lives of Filipinos down to the communities and guide them towards well-informed decisions while increasing public participation in local government programs and undertakings.
PIA Director-General Jose A. Torres, Jr. graced the event and expressed his gratitude to the attending agencies for their continued support in delivering accurate, relevant, and timely information down to the grassroots.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on the West Philippine Sea (WPS), was also in attendance as he provided updates of the current WPS situation.
Tarriela also took the opportunity to address misconceptions surrounding the issue and assured attendees that there will be no war against China over the territorial dispute.
“We are not to be the instigator sa (in the) West Philippine Sea,” he said. “We are a peace-loving nation. War is not the solution.”
Other discussions during the meeting included the duties and responsibilities of government information officers and brainstorming on future interagency coordination for the PTF-ELCAC, particularly on assisting friends rescued.
National agencies present included the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Government Service Insurance System, the 97th Infantry Battalion, and the Philippine National Police, among others. (EDT/PJF/PIA9-Zamboanga del Norte)
