Iligan hosts info confab today

ILIGAN City — More than a hundred representatives from different stakeholders in Iligan City are expected to gather today for the 1st Information Volunteers’ Network (IVN) Conference to be spearheaded by the Philippine Information Agency.

The event is expected to be attended by Barangay Information Officers, Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan chairpersons, student government officers of public and secondary schools, campus writers and school paper advisers, student government advisers, media practitioners and bloggers.

PIA Director General Usec. Harold Clavite said that IVN is part of the agency’s plan of revitalizing its grassroots communication efforts.

“This is aimed to expand the reach of the agency by bringing in more people to take part in the information and communication flow. The basic mandate of PIA is to provide timely, accurate and relevant information to the public and utilize public information strategies to promote citizen engagement toward nation building,” Clavite said.

Clavite also said PIA has been acting as the secretariat of several associations of government information officers across the country and they are aiming to establish same in Iligan City and soon, in Lanao del Norte.

“This will allow us to have a stronger network of government communicators to ensure that information on programs, services and advocacies of the government are delivered to communities. At the same time, this group will develop a feedback mechanism to the national government.

The 1st IVN Conference is highlighting “The New Information Highway” by Clavite himself, “Sulit sa SSS Campaign” to be delivered by SSS Cagayan de Oro OIC Assistant Branch Head Simon Jude Obut, “HIV 101” by Dr. Evelyn Magsayo of Department of Health, and “Dismiss Disinformation.”

Organization and election of officers of IVN-Iligan will conclude the event. PIA is also set to schedule another IVN Conference to be held in Lanao del Norte. (pia x)