FULL Circle -- an IDO's personal sentiment.

My first and last CAOCAMPIO meetings both in Mandaue City 

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) has the strongest network from among the offices under Philippine Communications Operations Office (PCOO).  

Aside from having provincial offices, government communication reached grassroots level with the presence of the Municipal, City and Provincial Public Information Officers (PIOs).

 Here in Cebu, we have CAOCAMPIO, the Cebu Association of City and Municipal Public Information Officers. In Bohol is the Association of Development Information Officers (AUDIO) with its Information Development Officer (IDO) Elvie Bongosia (Dolor Elvira); its Association of Negros Oriental Public Information Officers (ANOPIO) with IDO Leandria Pagunsan (the real Dolor) in Neg Or and Siquijor Association of Information Dessiminators ( SAID) headed by (the forever young Dolor) Rizalie Calibo in Siquijor Province. 

During the 2017 RADIO Convention touring EDC facilties in Neg Or 

CAOCAMPIO, AUDIO, ANOPIO and SAID are all under RADIO, the Regional Association of Developmental Information Officers (RADIO7). 

These are our PIOs who are delivering to you updates and developments from the Office of the President and National level offices. 

These are the people who laymanized the processes of services for the mass to avail. 

2018  Christmas gathering at AZIA Suites 

The same people who strived hard to survive despite non acknowledgement of the position, or of the PIO as an office, by some local government officials and employees. 

Yep, those peeps who are met with raised eyebrows (by accountants and budget officers and some Mayors) for every meeting on information matters like, "why do u have to go when emcee raman ka, tig take down raman kag minutes? Unsa gud ng information²? ", thats them!

2013 Christmas Party at Hotel Asia

With lesser or no support, these PIOs in CAOCAMPIO rely on each other, for strategies to make things work. 

They inspire each other to be up for many hours, 24/7 (specially during weather disturbances) just to share traffic situation, vehicular accidents, local weather, travel advisories..they post photos of stranded passengers, fallen trees, unpassable roads, casualties, injuries...sleepless and drained yet making the group chat on fire. 

These PIOs grab every opportunity to improve. 

PIA gives trainings from within and other sources, from news, press release and feature writing, broadcast reporting to basic photography, media relations even public speaking and customer relations. 

2014 Christmas gathering at Express Inn 

You see them careful with their words, avoiding bias, and best, they police each other. 

In CAOCAMPIO, its more than just information sharing. 

There is mentoring by whoever is experienced in topics on disaster preparedness, budget preparation, writing of a proposal, even sharing of problems personal and private, with a co employee or how to go about reporting (and accompanying) police operations. 

Communication Workshop in Oslob town

In the first photo was my first CAOCAMPIO meeting in 2013 with different faces now in 2018. 

The PIO position is not permanent. 

For most it is merely a designation, an additional responsibility except for Local Governments who can afford to make position permanent. 

Perhaps the position becomes permanent to those officials and leaders who affirmed to the cruciality of the role of the PIO. 

PIOs sell the LGU, links it to media and the world.

More importantly, PIOs make GOVERNMENTS' presence felt by the common "tao". 

Comm Skills Training at St. Marks Hotel 

TRANSPARENCY, MARKETING, EMPOWERMENT ---these are our Public INSPIRAION Officers. 

The CAOCAMPIO Presidents I served Left-Right-Down: Michelle Mondigo (2018-present) Titing Pintado (2017) and Carlo Dugaduga (2014-2016)

Thank you CAOCAMPIO peeps. From 2013 to 2018 --and in Mandaue City, it is indeed a lovely, memorable, inspiring FULL CIRCLE. 

See you online!

Now turning over the Reyna Crown to my buddy Mam Juju Empuerto with my only Government Information Center Coordinator Mam Rachelle Nessia.

*note: this is a personal sentiment again :) //  by Ferliza Calizar-Contratista