BY: AMOR Y. SALUDAR
Central Visayas, July 1 (PIA) ----- The Visayas Island established its contribution to the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program of the government through the creation of its regional communication plan for peaceful and developed community.
PAMANA is a government’s program on promoting peace, unity and development, specifically in conflict affected and vulnerable areas in the whole country.
Recently the PAMANA Capacity Building and Communication Workshop for Government Information Officers organized by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) was held in Cebu City on June 24-27.
Part of the workshop was the crafting of the regional communication plan anchored on the objectives of PAMANA program.
There are about six (6) groups of participants from CAR, Region 4-A, Region 4-B, Region 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and CARAGA. The Visayas region was divided into groups joined by CAR.
Strategies drawn by the Visayas region for the PAMANA program included rebranding of projects implemented through the PAMANA program, control of narrative to counter propagandas that may trigger conflicts, populate gains and success stories of returnees.
The Visayas region then envisioned to be the best tool in transforming communities; be the most transparent program; insurgency free for all areas; be removed from the poverty stigma; to have a change of attitude towards the government and be the best legacy of the PAMANA program, after two years.
The region also explore the possibility of including peace and development in the curriculum for children to be use as channel of peace.
Samar in particular also aimed to have a rebranding of road in Mondragon, Silvino Lobos, Samar into a road of peace.
Philhealth regional office in Central Visayas included in its regional communication plan the utilization of the regional offices through the public affairs office the integration of the PAMANA program.
The Visayas Island also aimed to renew harmony and calmness of the people in noted conflict areas by having tree planting and longest Espasol for Guinness world record to be done in the PAMANA road.
Also part of the regional plan is the identification of specific audience in which Visayas region identified as grassroots communities, youth, women, children, CNN sympathizers, bone of PAMANA.
Polly Michelle Cunanan Communications Unit Director of OPAPP said that the Visayas regional communication plan is very good as some of its items presented are very realistic and with a national significant. (mbcn/AYS/PIA7)