Despite the digitalization and technological revolution, distance and lack of personnel who will personally tend to the needs of the community, still serve as a stumbling block in the government’s desire to bring its essential services to the grassroots community.

As the information arm of the government, it is one of the Philippine Information Agency’s (PIA) mandates to ensure that these obstacles and barriers are eliminated and its services are navigated towards addressing the gap between the government’s services and the community.

To achieve this, PIA has to closely collaborate with other government agencies, private partners and various multi-stake holders to come up with proactive measures and put to life its vision of keeping the citizens well-informed so that they can be partners of the government in nation building.

Calabanga Mayor Eugene Severo (left ) and Municipal Councilor Adonis Aguilar, extend their heartfelt gratitude to the PIA Camarines Sur Communicators Network, and other stakeholders for bringing the 2nd Serbisyo Caravan in their municipality.  

Collaboration and partnership: 2nd PIA CamSur CommNet Serbisyo Caravan

Calabanga is a fishing town, with 11 coastal barangays.  It also has vast agricultural lands as 34 out of its 48 barangays are in the rural areas; 14 are within the urban community while three (3) are considered highly urbanized. 

Mayor Eugene Severo, the town’s chief executive, said that one of his priorities is to ensure that his constituents receive the basic government services that they deserve.  His vision harmonizes with the commitment of Municipal Councilor Adonis Aguilar who extended his invitation to the PIA CamSur CommNet to provide services to Calabangueños.

The Serbisyo Caravan is one of the banner programs of PIA. They work hand and hand and collaborate with local government units and members of the Communicators Network (CommNet) to foster effective partnership and ensure that essential services are delivered to the community.

PIA CamSur CommNet is composed of Public Information Officers (PIOs) representing various government agencies, private organizations, academe, and LGUs.

Councilor Aguilar, who heads the committees on Agriculture and Fisheries; Livelihood and Cooperative; Senior Citizen and PWD; and Trade and Investment, took the cue after PIA CamSur CommNet’s well-attended 1st Serbisyo Caravan held at San Jose, Partido, Camarines Sur through Mayor Jerold Peña on March 28.

On Friday, June 30, various agencies responded to another request and proceeded to conduct the 2nd PIA Camarines Sur CommNet Serbisyo Caravan at the Calabanga People’s Octagon, Calabanga, Camarines Sur.

Mayor Severo handpicked 15 agencies which services are essential to his constituents.

Over 700 Calabangueños benefited from the services rendered by 18 agencies.

Social Security System (SSS) personnel, headed by SSS Luzon Bicol Division Senior Communications Analyst and Regional Communications Analyst/ Regional Comms Officer and PIA Cam Sur CommNet Secretary Queenie Agsao, assisted nearly 80 members in registering at MY.SSS Account Registration, payment reference number generation, inquiries on consolidated loan and salary loans, issuance of forms, member data changes request, and MDCR for change of status and beneficiaries.

Some residents followed up on the status of their IDs, verified their SSS numbers and updated their records.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, with its attached centers, also participated and rendered their services.

TESDA Cam Sur Provincial Office assisted 45 barangay residents on their inquiry regarding its offered scholarships, community-based training and Accredited Assessment Centers.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, headed by the bureau’s PIO, Wheng Bricia-Briones, distributed tilapia fingerlings to 16 backyard pond operators.  Each took home 15,000 fingerlings.  They also conducted value adding of fishery products, fish polvoron and fish lumpia food demo and food tasting to 37 residents. 

The Department of Agriculture (DA) Bicol Regional Office through DA Spokesperson Lovella Guarin served 207 farmer/clients who took home planting materials and corn seeds. Nine (9) registered under their Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture or RSBSA.

RSBSA serves as a database or master list of farmers, farm laborers and fishermen. The record will enable the government to tailor-fit their programs to the needs of the said sector during the national planning on agriculture and fisheries.

PhilHealth aided membership registration and updating of records of 30 recipients including their registration under the Konsulta Package.

Nineteen (19) students and parents inquired about the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s (OWWA) scholarship program, Welfare Care Assistance, reintegration program (Balik-Pinas, Balik Hanapbuhay) programs and enterprise development and loan program.

The Consuelo Chito Madrigal Foundation (CCMF) assisted clients who inquired about their housing programs, scholarship and internship programs. Some submitted their resume for CCMF’s posted job vacancy. One was qualified and will proceed to the second level interview.

Sixty-two (62) clients requested assistance for civil registry documents at the Philippine Statistics Office (PSA) desk while 22 grabbed the chance to have their PhilID registration.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Provincial Officer Maria Peñafrancia Nepomuceno helped in assisting clients who registered their sim cards.  She also facilitated the conduct of the Cyber Security Awareness seminar and the discussion on the Philippine National Public Key Infrastructure (PNPKI) to 12 department heads of Calabanga.

PNPKI provides a reliable digital certification system that will help the LGU in verifying the authenticity of the documents and other pertinent documents submitted in their office. DICT ensures high confidentiality of these electronic transactions. They also conducted digital literacy training and conducted ICT proficiency exams.

DICT also provided free wi-fi connection in the venue for participating agencies that have online applications and transactions like SSS, DA, BFAR, PIA, PSA and PhilHealth among others.

They also scheduled basic social media marketing training on July 13 in the said town for Calabanga Tourism Operators in coordination with Tourism Operations Officer Miel S. Bongon, Sr.

DOLE Camarines Sur through DOLE Regional PIO JV Gasga opened its mobile (legal) clinic for workers who wish to avail of the service, including work-related inquiries.

Other agencies that provided support to the PIA Camarines Sur CommNet Serbisyo Caravan include the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), PAG-IBIG Fund, DTI and Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

Mayor Severo extended his heartfelt gratitude to all the participants and acknowledged their significant role in ensuring that the community feels the presence of the government through their committed services. 

Through the PIA Camarines Sur CommNet Serbisyo Caravan, government programs come to life, enabling individuals to access relevant information. This also allows individual to benefit from the government's services and programs more efficiently, saving them valuable resources such as time, money, and effort. (PIA 5/Camarines Sur)