The Regional Task Force To End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC-10) will fight black propaganda by swamping fake news with the truth, instead of attacking the story.
Member agencies of the Communications and Advocacy Program Sub Committee of the Regional Development Council and Strategic Communications Task Group of the RTF ELCAC-10 converged in a two-day workshop in Cagayan de Oro City for the formulation of Region 10 Strategic Communications Plan For Peace And Development 2019-2022. Both bodies are chaired by Philippine Information Agency-10.
Brigadier Gen. Edgardo De Leon, commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, said the government should counter black propaganda by the communist terrorist groups through constant information dissemination and fighting disinformation.
Such a strategy will allow the public to have access to more context that will enable themselves to identify fake news.
“To counter CTG propaganda, we do not have to always demonize them. We just have to tell the truth and focus the battle on fighting disinformation,” De Leon said on behalf of RTF-ELCAC-10 chairman Major Gen. Franco Nemesio Gacal.
The workshop, co-organized by the Presidential Communications Operations Office, RDC-10, and the National Economic and Development Authority-10, aims to formulate a unified communication strategy for Northern Mindanao that will be adapted by line regional government offices and PCOO attached agencies and bureaus.
This harmonized content dissemination system is seen to boost peacebuilding and social development efforts in the region.
With this, de Leon encouraged participants from the different regional agencies in attendance to collectively craft a communication strategy that is proactive – one that deliberately informs the public with the efforts undertaken by authorities.
“Matagal na pong inumpisahan ni Joma Sison ‘yung whole-of-nation revolution,” he said, adding that the Duterte administration has likewise embarked on a whole-of-government approach in fighting communist terrorists through the RTF-ELCAC.
In the same workshop, PCOO Public Affairs Head Jusan Vincent Arcena represented Secretary Martin Andanar to discuss the national government’s communication strategy.
Arcena highlighted the Comprehensive Communications Committee, composed of PCOO’s bureaus, attached agencies, and government-owned and -controlled corporations, which is in charge of setting the narrative of the country by promoting the administration’s projects and initiatives through its own communications channels.
“Bringing all government communicators and spokespersons on the same page will let us effectively promote the Duterte administration’s messages and advance our national interest for inclusive and sustainable development,” he said.
The seminar-workshop is expected to conclude with a draft of Region 10’s Strategic Communications Framework for Peace and Development Plan 2019-2022. (pcoo)
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