DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director General, Usec. Jose A. Torres Jr. reminded the public information officers in Central Visayas of their critical role in promoting peace and development in the country.
“This is our role as peace builders. We play a very important part in promoting peace through our development communication strategies, especially in facilitating dialogues in communities,” he added.
The PIA chief said the Presidential Communications Office, PIA, and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity have forged an agreement to effectively disseminate the government’s efforts to promote the understanding of peace and reconciliation in the country.
Torres shared that PIA continues to hold a series of media briefings and public consultations to enhance the media’s understanding of the government’s Localized Peace Engagement and Transformation Program.
“It is our goal to improve the public’s awareness, especially among the grassroots, our communities, to support our peacebuilding and reconciliation initiatives,” he said.
The role of IOs in development
Torres emphasized that every government effort towards development involves information officers.
“We are always there to craft communication strategies that would hopefully boost public awareness. We engage with our communities through various media – radio programs, talk shows, roadshows, caravans, kapihan, kumustahan, and others,” he said.
Torres stressed the role of IOs in communicating the government’s programs and initiatives, saying that it should go beyond information dissemination.