DAVAO CITY – An official of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary on Tuesday urged public information officers to mobilize communities to help them stir local development.
Speaking before more than 1,600 participants of the first National Information Convention, Assistant Secretary Jonas Soriano said community mobilization is a process wherein people become aware of a shared concern, common need, and decide to take mobilization for shared benefits.
“Try to give people the best knowledge or information, so we can bring them to development,” Soriano said during the second day of the NIC 2018 held at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City.
“If we will harness community mobilization, information is vital. But when it is used for the development of others or a community, suddenly, it becomes wisdom. We need to look at it as a continuous process of communication,” he added.
The failure of information officers to explain a current situation could lead to public panic, citing the Dengvaxia scare, which affected the government’s other immunization programs.
Soriano also urged them to craft a program and request budgets from their offices.
“Craft your plans. The Philippine Information Agency and Presidential Communication Operations Office will be with you. But if you do not do anything, nothing will happen. Plan out what you want,” he said.
Soriano also told the participants to study the Philippine Development Plan designed by the National Economic Development Authority and relate it to the community.
He, however, said the challenge lies in its implementation. (Juzel Danganan/PNA)
