PIA Caraga strengthens information literacy through ‘Panagtigum’
By Renelle Luzon Escuadro
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) - The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga recently launched its newest platform dubbed ‘Panagtigum,’ held at the barangay hall of Holy Redeemer in Butuan City.
Panagtigum, from the local dialect means convergence or gathering, is PIA Caraga’s initiative designed to strengthen information literacy of grassroots communities in the region on the programs of the government.
Strengthening PIA’s importance and branding in the local communities, the Panagtigum is conducted in the location of the target sector and beneficiary such as in barangay hall, school campus, among others, bringing the platform closer to them.
The first episode of Panagtigum gathered the officers of the federations of solo parents coming from the different barangays of Butuan City and discussed the salient features of the Republic Act 11861 or the “Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act,” in partnership with the Butuan City Social Welfare and Development Department (CSWDD).
Punong Barangay Efren Acaso of Holy Redeemer expressed his full support to this activity by setting up the venue and inviting participants. He stressed that PIA’s Panagtigum provided a conducive avenue for the solo parent leaders of the city to learn and understand the additional coverages and amendments through the new law that would better serve the beneficiaries.
“Since the Panagtigum catered a specific discussion such as the Republic Act 11861 to the target beneficiaries, we prevent information overload. In this manner, the solo parents can accurately share their learnings to the rest of the registered members of their respective federations,” Acaso said as he shared his observation of the activity.
Information literacy
According to PIA Caraga Regional Head Venus L. Garcia, “Through Panagtigum, we disseminate the programs and projects of the government down to the barangays with utmost accuracy, relevance and timeliness.”
“Panagtigum identifies the most pressing issue of the barangay and the program of the government that will address the identified issue. To be more effective, we do the sectoral approach so we invite the target beneficiaries only,” she said.
“As support to the Maging Mapanuri campaign of the government, we ensure that in Panagtigum, we educate the beneficiaries with correct information, as we bolster the advocacy against misinformation and disinformation,” Garcia emphasized.
OGPinas, interoperability
The Panagtigum, reinforcing the program on Open Government or OGPinas, highlighted the ‘open chair discussion,’ that provided a vacant seat or chair for any of the target audience to come up on stage and participate in the discussion on air by providing insight and raising relevant questions to the resource person/s.
Also, operating under the interoperability initiative of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the Panagtigum provided a path for government communicators such as the Philippine News Agency Caraga and the Radyo Pilipinas Butuan to be unified in one messaging through their engagement in the open chair discussion.
Meanwhile, the next Panagtigum is scheduled on April 2, 2025 in the barangay hall of Lingayao, Las Nieves in the province of Agusan del Norte. This will be participated by young learners and their parents for another dynamic discussion on teenage pregnancy and responsible parenting. The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) Caraga Director Alexander Makinano will also be sharing the appropriate programs of the government, including Punong Barangay Noli Jay B. Dapat for the ongoing efforts of the barangay, to address teenage pregnancy as both resource persons of the activity.
PIA Caraga is hopeful that the Panagtigum, as an information literacy platform, will be inclusive and reach more grassroots communities in the region. (RLE, PIA Caraga)
