News Feature : Gov’t Academy espouses communication sustainability

By Jocelyn P. Alvarez

Zamboanga Sibugay, Oct 08 (PIA) – The creation of the Government Strategic Communication Academy (GSCA) is vital as this will espouse on sustainable communication which the country at present lacks, said Secretary Martin M. Andanar, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).

GSCA, first state-of-the-art training facility/communication academy that will enhance, compliment, the technical skills, know-how of government information officers in the barangay level all the way to the national level, will be built within the compound of the Northern Bukidnon State College (NBSC) in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.

“We found out that there is much clamor from our friends in the media, from information officers’ industry in the government, that they really need an upgrade in skills when it comes to mass communication, development communication,” Sec. Andanar said.

Recently, the PCOO, together with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Municipal Government of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, and the NBSC, conducted the groundbreaking ceremony of the first and only Government Communication Academy in the country. This undertaking signals the start of the construction of the said facility. 

“The Government Communication Academy is President Duterte’s legacy to PCOO. The academy teaches communication or information dissemination strategies to our barangay and national information officers,” Andanar said in Cebuano. 

Communication czar Andanar said, PCOO is also working closely with the University of the Philippines -Los Banos and the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) to ensure that trainings conducted are aligned with the actual needs of its beneficiaries. 

Training Program

“To teach or train Information Officers (IOs), influencers inside and outside the government, our broadcasters, that when we start speaking on the microphone, we have to think sustainable communication, we have to be responsible in whatever we say, and it must be a word or and advocacy that helps sustainable communication,” Andanar explained why the need to have the Government Communication Academy.

Training programs in the academy include broadcasting and writing, and other proposed technical courses for both public IOs and private media workers. Andanar said that PCOO welcomes private media who wants to share their expertise.

The PCOO chief emphasized the importance of arming the media against disinformation and misinformation through education.

“It will be good for everyone if we offer this kind of institution that can provide executive certificates in communication in radio, television, social media, broadcasting, and news wire distribution,” he said. (EDT/JPA/Zamboanga Sibugay)