Information officers from local and national government agencies in Region 11 confirmed new roles they have embraced in today’s challenges in development communication.
Aside from the traditional technical roles that they played in the last five decades, information officers are now given a new role vital to the development of a locality or any particular environment which they focus on.
Philippine Information Agency director for program management and creatives and production services Emelyn Q. Libunao cited traditional and common roles of information officers.
“They are tasked as writers, broadcasters, popularizers, image makers, and feedback gatherers.”
Information officers write press releases about the programs of the organization, disseminate news releases over radio or television, popularize these through varied print and broadcast media technologies.
They also create a positive image of their organizations and personalities as well as products and services. Also, they act as monitors of public opinion regarding issues that confront the organization.
However, Libunao bared some of the emerging roles that information officers start portraying in the field of development communication.
“Some information officers today, especially regional directors of the PIA, are called by elected officials to act as consultants in information campaigns. Sometimes, they are also asked to arrange dialogues between government officials and the people who maybe affected by a government project or policy.” Libunao said.
Other emerging roles include their being advocates to help convince the public to support a certain bill, being media coordinators, program moderators, and data providers.
Libunao challenged the information officers around not just to develop their technical knowledge but also to manage a total communication system and the huge resources needed to operate it.
such is important in maximizing the use of communication for sustaining development. [PIA 11/Mai Gevera]
