Alicia BION as active force vs fake news

 By Jocelyn P. Alvarez

 

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Nov. 03 (PIA) – “Misinformation and disinformation often cause trouble, panic and confusion among people.” This was what Alicia town mayor Remberto G. Sotto emphasized during the recent launching of the Barangay Information Officers’ Network (BION) in the municipality.

 

“Daghang fake news, mao ning naghatag ug kalibugan sa katawhan,” (there are a lot of fake news that bewilders people) he said.

 

With a total of 27 barangay officials and secretaries as members of the newly created information group, Mayor Sotto expects this communications team will act with agile in countering fake news by delivering honest, truthful information.

 

He said, with the help of BION, he hopes to promote only genuine information specially that of COVID-19 concerns, help encourage local folks to accept vaccination against COVID-19, bring good news, and disseminate government programs and projects that will benefit his people.

 

Sotto believed it is about time to put premium to information delivery and is happy of the creation of BION as a helping hand in doing the job done.

 

Kita nagpasalamat nga namugna ning BION. Pinaagi ninyo, kinahanglan ang mga katawhan mahibalo sa kamatuoran, kay ang fake news maoy hinungdan sa daghang away-away, (we are grateful of the creation of BION. Through you, people should be well informed of the truth, because fake news often caused conflict),” he said.

BION is the brain child of Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-9 headed by Regional Director Noemi Edaga as COVID-19 response and beyond. 

 

In 2020, PIA teamed up with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to organize the BION in the Zamboanga Peninsula Region, taking cognizance of the need for communication multipliers down the grassroots. 

The realization came at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when a massive communication strategy is needed to campaign for compliance to minimum health protocols to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the localities. (RVC/EDT/JPA/PIA9-Zamboanga Sibugay)