Learning is a never ending process. 

More so, when our jobs entail information and communication.

Information in itself is dynamic.  There are always updates and developments in all fields... and the means to communicate these are also fast changing.

So for three days this January, me and my colleagues underwent activities rediscovering and redefining our roles Information Officers as well as discussing the major projects involving the agency for this year.

This was the first need addressed by our newly appointed Officer in Charge Regional Director of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) 7, Ms. Fayette Rinen.

"We need to revisit and be reminded on why we are here and what are the things we need to focus on as PIA.  We need to communicate to the people the focus and actual programs of the government," Ms. Fayette said.

On the first day, we revisited our respective targets according to the tasks that we identified in the previous year.

We were also briefed about the major activities for this year, which include all out information and education about the holding of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.






This year is Philippines holds the chairmanship of ASEAN 2017.

Other major events include information campaign on the implementation of the Freedom of Information (FOI) directive and the holding of the summit for the Visayas and Mindanao Communicators Network.

Then our OIC brought us back to why PIA was established. (READ : Executive Order 100 Creating the Philippine Information Agency)

Our OIC also reminded us that we focus on being developmental communicators --- we write about the programs of the government and its effect on the people.

We have to bear in mind, President Rodrigo Duterte's 10 Point Social Economic Agenda as we carry our our information and communication tasks. 

"It s important that we will find a way to translate these for the public to understand better," she said. 

The second day, we discovered Google Suite and how it can be used to the MAX! My Cebu Infocen Manager Rachelle Nessia (whose digital and social media skills got her uprooted all the time from us  huhu ) made a presentation of its features.

"PIA is going Google, all of us will have our own government issued Gmails and so we have to be ready using the features," Ms. Rachelle  

LISTENING ATTENTIVELY.Here we are, learning about GOOGLE Docs, Books, Calendar, Photos ..Yep we did listened attentively. That's Elvie Bongosia, IO1 of PIA Bohol taking the photo.; then my partner video and camera man V (Virgilio Verzonilla); PIA NegOr IO2, the hunk Roi Antoni Lomotan; PIA NegOr's AO4  Leandria Pagunsan and Moi. =) 

Now we follow each other on Google Plus G+ other than Facebook.

Here's Mam Jenny Tilos (the ICM of PIA NegOr) who looks overwhelmed with the wonders of Google.'

On the third and final day, we had two Cebu media and communication authorities to share with us what we need to focus on as developmental communicators.

The writers, information officers and even admin staffs listened to a review on the world of developmental communication by  Mayette Tabada, a Sunstar columnist and Communication's professor of the University of the Philippines Cebu.

With Sunstar columnist Mayette Tabada

"As a communicator we should go for responsible messages"

The Infocen Managers on the other hand, got tips from former Cebu Daily News Publisher Eileen Mangubat about story editing.  Ms. Eileen is also senior professor of UP Cebu.

A post by ICM Rachelle Nessia, who is our regional editor

Its going to be a challenging year for us, but after that staff development and refresher, I guess, we started it right.