20th RADIO-7 Convention: Day 3

Day 3 (Nov. 7, 2012) of the regional convention of information officers at Bohol Tropics took us to the new world of internet streaming, audio and video streaming as new format for communicating government information.  DOST-7 assistant direictor Ed Paradela joined us as our resource lelcturer.

Lecture 4: Internet Broadcast & Video Streaming

“Social media is media designed to be disseminated through social interaction, created using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. Social media is a big deal. It’s online content created by people, and it’s a shift in how people discover, read, and share news, information and content. 

Trends for the future: mobile, Google Buzz, geolocation, corporate policy and procedures, diaspora, and the end of email marketing!

The future is Info Tech. The internet is here to stay. 

Audio is the simplest type of media to stream. It requires the least amount of time and technical expertise to produce. It’s good for delivering music, recorded interviews and speeches, language comprehension, news report. 

The organizers during the 1st schedule that was
postponed because of Typhoon Pablo 

To soothe our tired minds and ease the tensions in our bodies,
we indulged in beautiful and comfort food at "the Buzz."

That was indeed a whole lot of ado of a convention--the 1st schedule was postponed because of a typhoon and we were unsure with the attendance for the Nov. 5-7 schedule; the last-minute decline of resource speakers; trying to look for replacement speakers... That kept us on tinterhooks but I guess, situations such as those made us better, effective and efficient in our resolve to push through with the event.  It turned out to be one of the best conventions of the RADIO-7! 

                                                                           

      

                                                                            

"All's well that ends well."

  

20th RADIO-7 Convention: Day 2

Day 2 (Nov. 6, 2012) of the Regional Association of Development Information Officers (RADIO-7) in Central Visayas convention at Bohol Tropics in Tagbilaran City brought us to the series of lectures and inputs on how to equip the government  information officers in communicating disaster risk reduction management; how to build effective relationship between the public-private media; and the new media/internet broadcast and video streaming.  

KBP Pres. Marlon Baula (R) and Leo Lastimosa of ABS-CBN/DYAB  as resource persons on
"Building Effective Relationship between public-private media

According to Marlon Baula, Facebook may be the best thing these days but when you want to penetrate the masses, radio is still the potent tool in reaching out. There’s no Facebook in the barrios.

He said one of the reasons why public-private relationship is not cohesive because these days commercialism is high in radio. 

 

"We want to be a part of the solution, not part of the problem. I hope we can concretize our agenda because we in the mainstream media is also putting emphasis on nation-building," Baula noted. 

We are reaching out to you and hope that you will reach out to us so we can help each other so we can solidify our goals which is to send message across because a well-informed society is a better society. 

 

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN/DYAB manager/anchor Leo Lastimosa also underscored the need for government and private media to connect and build an effective relationship.

"How do we work together: don’t be arrogant. You can’t force the private media because we are independent and commercialized and we can turn you down. Don’t demand but don’t beg also. It is your right to be heard. So be reasonable," Lastimosa said. 

  

He added that Zoomcast, not broadcast is the strategy if you have a target market. use zoomcast to zoom in on your target audience your target information, he explained. 

 

Press releases are so last season. Instead of press release, make an audio release, record statements of mayors, and radios can air it on their news segments. Or video release. Instead of presscons, do it via Skype.  

 

Embrace the new media because sooner than you think it will be the main media. As of Sept this year, media consumption in Phils 89% na lang watch TV. After TV, 55% through the web/Internet. Ang radio, 32% ang mo consume information. Sa newspapers, 12%. Books/movie and other outlets, 5%. 

In the evening of Day 2, the participants had a grand night during its fellowship and induction of the RADIO-7 2013 new set of officers.  Presentations and entertainment were not lacking during the evening as each information officers organization loosened up to sing, dance and laugh the night away...

The new set of RADIO-7 Officers for 2013:

PRESIDENT CARLO DUGA-DUGA

V-PRESIDENT LEO ENOT

SECRETARY ABEL GARCIANO

TREASURER ARTURO BAS

AUDITOR MA. LYDIA BANTUGAN

BOD

ELI MANLANGIT

AIDA SAAVEDRA

GHERELENE MAE RAFOLS

CONCEPCION ROSALES

LYDITH TAN

JOHN ANTHONY JIMENEZ

AUGUSTUS ESCOBIA

JOJELINE RUIZ BUENDIA

MA. ELENA MANIWANG

CHARLES VAILOCES

20th RADIO-7 Convention in Bohol: Day 1

This is the 20th year that the various information officers from the provinces, cities and towns of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor including some from the academe and the private sector met for a 3-day convention at Bohol Tropics in Tagbilaran City on November 5-7, 2012.

This is Bohol Tropics in Tagbilaran City, the venue of the 20th RADIO-7 Conference

Fifty-two  participants arrived at the venue to register for the conference.  Each was given,  conference kit, a T-Shirt with the logo “I love RADIO” scrawled on the front and goodie bags.

Day-1: Participants onboard a bus that took them to a heritage and benchmarking tour in Catigbian's extreme adventures, Balilihan Museum, a visit to the famous chocolate hills, Tarsier sanctuary and all the other Bohol tourist attractions that could be accommodated in a day's trip. 

While the participants enjoyed the tour, our special guest, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Usec Atty. Leslie JeanneCordero arrived and I took her to the Mansion for a courtesy call at governor Edgar Chatto and a brief tour around the capitol and the tourism office for a briefing on the economic development of the province.

The Bohol provincial capitol called "the Mansion" is a revelation.  It was the house that President Carlos Garcia used as his office whenever  he was in Bohol.  It is considered a heritage house that was renovated and restored to its original look.  I had a grand time taking photos of the building.   

After the courtesy call with governor Edgar Chatto, Usec Leslie met the Bohol Press. Questions about the latest and updates at the Presidency, national issues, and the role of media in development. 

We capped the first day of the conference with governor Chatto and Usec Leslie Cordero opening it with their respective messages that underscored the vital role of media to promote peace, programs of government and disaster risk reduction management communication.

My opening remarks:

"Information officers today shape opinions, development information, give choices for people on information they want. Information choice we are capable of giving the public is the challenge we face as government information officers. UN says that of the 27 billion people in the world, 26 billion are cellphone users. Instagram has 100m users. 90% of OFWs around the world use FB and Twitter to communicate around the world.  For the development projects of your LGU, you have to communicate it in less than 160 words. That’s the challenge. I want you to be challenged and interested so all of us can have Twitter, Instagram & other social media so information can be given like rain, not trickles."  

Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto's Message:

"If you don’t use technology today you can’t compete in information world. If communication is not there, governance will fail. All these information must be known because people need to take part in shaping their destinies. 

The critical role of executive and legislative branches is in engaging the participation of people in shaping policies. It is important for info officers to highlight all the time the performance in economic growth and development to balance the news

Public access to information is a basic requirement now of every public sector person. Decisions are made with quick, on-time information especially those coming from media. Region 7 is the region country is looking up to, because we are the fastest growing region in country, highest level of economic performance, tourism, manufacturing exports outside of Manila.  Bohol has it all, it’s all in Bohol."     

PCOO USEC LESLIE JEANNE CORDERO's Message:

"You can make positive changes with power of information that you share. C4D is a new term coined by UNESCO, which highlights two-way communication in dialogue. You get burning issues from communities, but the challenge is before you get their feedback, you have to inform them of what the government is doing and find out if they’re satisfied. Challenge for us is how to process feedback and turnaround time to address these issues. 
When there is issue thrown at government, the key is to have information officers dedicated to answer all those questions. The role of information officers is to answer media’s questions. Info officers must lay down tactical grid in addressing issues. One of our challenges is how we will weave together traditional forms of media and integrate it in new media. 
But are the comments of people in social media valid? Yes. Because when the issue comes out, people will have lots of comments and it will be revealed. Social media is democratizing participation in the Philippines. The government should be able to integrate all communication channels. PTV will soon be integrated with Radyo ng Bayan so every news on TV will also be aired on radio." 

Day 1 ended with interesting open forum with the information officers and Usec Leslie.  Some of the issues discussed included the institutionalization of the information officers, the Freedom of Information bill, decriminalizing libel and the reproductive health bill.  We called it a night..

Medellin Trip 5: Gibitngil, a "funtastic" island getaway

When you are in Medellin, Cebu don't miss Gibitngil Island, about 30 minutes banca or pumpboat ride from Kawit. Gibitngil is called "funtastic" island because the water is warm and clear, the sea air is briny and fresh and we had fun in the island.

Gibitngil Island is a long stretch of white sandy beachesand craggy rocks and limestones.  It has a population of more than 2000 people with local tourism and fishing as main source of livelihood.  The island's elelctricity is powered by solar panels installed in various areas.  

  

The local governtment of Medellin under Mayor Ricky Ramirez saw the tourism potentials of the island and decided to put up walkways and cottages on rocks without necessarily deviating from the seascapes of the place, bridging and linking one cottage to another.    

Vit, Jo, Fritzie, Dulce, Gay, Ed, Clifford and me stayed awhile, had some conversation with the local community, took a swim at the torquoise sea and forgot about the cares of life...moments of pure surrender to the pristine character of the universe!

The simplicity and serendipity of life in this island are captured by the rhythmic lapping of the waves against those craggy rocks... punctuated by nature's own communion with its environment.