Kapihan with PIA Caraga at
full throttle
By Renelle L. Escuadro
Indeed, the finale episode of the Kapihan with PIA Caraga for the year 2022 entitled, “Let’s Talk about AIDS” ended on a high note.
The
Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga made it sure that even on its last
episode, it would continue to prioritize and highlight the agency’s
institutional mandate by leading the information drive and dissemination of the
World AIDS Day Celebration every December 1.
As
a mindful member of the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC), PIA Caraga
hopes to contribute to end the social stigma on Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This institutional mandate
was successfully delivered with its Kapihan episode for World AIDS Day, where
PIA Caraga invited the subject matter experts on HIV/AIDS from the Department
of Health and Butuan Medical Center as the accredited testing center of the
local government unit.
As
the speakers emphasized, HIV testing is a right that all Filipinos should be
afforded.
The Kapihan with PIA is an
institutional network and capability program of the Agency. All regional
offices of PIA continue to include this best practice in their accomplishments
and these offices have the volition to revamp and modify the program according
to their eccentricities whilst keeping its core.
For PIA Caraga, the monthly Kapihan is a talk show that serves as a venue where the Agency can spotlight its institutional mandates and priority areas for communication and allow government agencies and offices discuss their essential and current programs and activities to the general public and the media with the intention that all these will reach the grassroots. A question and answer segment is done after the discussion where local media outfits and the audience are given time to raise their questions to the guests.
There is no better place to
conduct a talk show than to have it in a location complete with amenities,
well-ventilated, reliable security system, and powered by Dolby digital sound
system. SM City Butuan is exactly the right venue for the Kapihan.
Its public relations office
remains accommodating even during requests for special episodes where we
conduct more than once in a month.
To
this day, the Kapihan with PIA has consistently showed strong media engagement.
This has encouraged the strong support and of the Agency's partners in the
dissemination of factual news.
Flexibility in the new normal
When
Covid-19 struck the country, PIA Caraga ensured that information will not be on
lockdown as well. With high adversity quotient, the regional office committed
to conduct the activity every month, embraced the new normal and consistently
complied with the health protocols.
Passionate
to deliver accurate, timely and relevant information which was most needed
during the pandemic, the caliber information officers of PIA Caraga
dolled up and geared with face shield and face masks to host the activity.
Program hosts and guests dutiful to participate in the informative talk show
whilst observing the six-meter physical distancing protocol.
Going digital
What
was once a media relations and fora only, the Kapihan with PIA Caraga expanded
its horizon to include its digital audience. Thereafter, the activity has been
livestreamed through the Facebook pages of PIA Caraga.
The
teaser, which is shared to all digital platforms of PIA Caraga, allows the
audience to watch and participate online at the comfort zone.
The
reach and engagement were boosted by the online audience participation who
raise their inquiries and questions in the aired episode.
Kapihan
with PIA Caraga is added proof that technology can bridge distance and physical
presence, reaching not only its target clients in the country but also across
international boarders.
Accomplishment wrap up
Goal
focused, PIA Caraga was determined that the episodes of the Kapihan with PIA
Caraga would bring the message clearly that while the government is a work in
progress, it did its best to provide and deliver services to the Filipino
people especially to the grassroots.
For 2023, the Kapihan with
PIA Caraga featured the SIM card registration, the most trending in social
media and a public buzz.
Republic Act No. 11934 or the Subscriber Identity Module Registration Act mandated the registration of all existing SIM cards starting December 27, 2022.
All
corners of the argument were guarded by the content masters from the regional
office of the National Telecommunications Commission and public affairs officers
of the two giant telecommunications companies Smart and Globe.
The
first episode continues to provide the team extensive content for the
production and dissemination of information, education and communication
materials for both traditional mass media and digital media.
''As a government information network that can reach the grassroots, we in PIA Caraga, with the sustained efforts of our content curators continue to bring the government closer to the people through public information and dissemination and collaboration with partners and stakeholders made possible through the Kapihan with PIA,'' said PIA Caraga Regional Director, Venus L. Garcia. (RLE/PIA-Caraga)
