Local government units are being encouraged to break stereotypes and embrace social media to deliver information, create support groups and establish feedback mechanism for their programs and undertakings.
Social media are an incredible resource that the local government units need to harness, says Ted Espinosa, CEO of Davao City-based Grab & Dev Solutions.
He bared local governments can take advantage of the ‘new ‘ media craze by using its power in creating massive public support for certain public policies, programs and projects, and even advocacies.
“The LGUs can tap the power of the social media in creating support groups and in generating enthusiasm and increasing participation of communities in the implementation of projects,” Espinosa said, during the recent Convocation Program at the Bulwagan ng Lalawigan in Tagum City .
Social media have become the new tool for effective business marketing and sales since they enable more rapid sharing of information through the internet.
Unlike the customary industrial or traditional media, such as newspapers, radio, television, and film, the new media now allow for instantaneous dissemination of not just news, but also images, audio, video, and other multimedia content, as well.
News and information can also rapidly extend through internet forums, weblogs, social blogs, miroblogging, picture sharing, and social bookmarking.
Espinosa said while more and more businesses are cashing in on the popularity of social networking web sites, such as Facebook, to drum up additional revenues, many governments are now tapping into the social media, harnessing its great potential in getting widespread public support for government polices, programs and projects.
Here in the Philippines , the new government of President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III is even enlisting social media in an ambitious effort to boost taxes and catch corrupt officials.
In addition to its tag as the texting capital of the world, the Philippines has also become the global social networking capital, with over 30 million Filipinos having their social network accounts.
Espinosa bared the top five social networking sites in the country include Facebook, Friendster, Tweeter, MySpace and Multiply, respectively.
Among the many prospects of social media, Espinosa also revealed his advocacy to equip students and out-of-school youth with the necessary tools to be able to earn clean money through the internet without going somewhere else.
In his response, Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario welcomed the use of the social media in bridging Davao del Norte to the global community.
He is also happy about the opportunity that it brings for the young people to become productive by earning money online.
He sees the money-making prospect in the internet as a potent component of his livelihood program, being one of the focal programs of his administration in the next three years.
During the activitiy, Gov del Rosario launched his Facebook account, which he is now actively using to help update his friends and constituents about the goings-on in the province.
