QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- The Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), in collaboration with the Freedom of Information-Project Management Office (FOI-PMO) of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), conducted a face-to-face Graduation Ceremony for its Information Officer's Certification Course on 19 May 2022 at the City Garden Suites, Ermita, Manila.

The graduation ceremony served as the concluding event of the first phase of implementation of the Certificate Course delivered in two (2) batches from December 2021 to May 2022 to institutionalize the expertise of the country's FOI Officers in government by developing their competencies in the areas of access to information, data privacy, records management, and national security.

Ninety-four co-learners from various agencies were recognized in the ceremony which included 3 participants from the Philippine Information Agency namely, PIA FOI Focal person Ms. Liberty D. Aragones, Mr. Jayson P. Leguiab from the PIA HRDD, and Mr. Sixto Paulo S. Agato from the PIA Good Governance Unit.

Mr. Agato, meanwhile, is an instrumental member of the group which was awarded with the Best Policy Proposal for their Policy Proposal on the Establishment of a Social Amelioration Program Information Clearing House System (SAP-ICHSI) which aims to create a centralized and interconnected link between all SAP implementing agencies to generally eliminate red tape and corruption in the implementation of SAP.

Professor Michael Eric L. Castillo, the certification course's policy proposal mentor, lauded Mr. Agato's group for submitting a policy proposal that is timely and responsive in addressing concerns with the implementation of SAP in this time of pandemic.

“The policy proposal is perfect as it is, as if it was carefully studied and as if it was funded,” Prof. Castillo said referring to how well the proposal was written.

“The analysis was incisive. If only Congress is manned by staff with your level of competence, it could enact well formulated pieces of legislation,” he added.

All the PIA participants garnered “Very Good” ratings in the certification course.

“The learnings that we acquired made us realize how crucial FOI is in promoting accountability and transparency in the Agency and will surely capacitate us to strengthen more the PIA Good Governance Unit,” Mr. Agato added.

Ms. Aragones, as PIA’s FOI-Focal, expressed her sincere gratitude to the management of DAP and FOI-PMO for the Agency’s inclusion in the Certification Course during her testimonial speech.

The event was graced by the DAP President and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Engelbert C. Caronan and PCOO Undersecretary and FOI Program Director Atty. Kristian R. Ablan while PCOO Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin M. Andanar delivered his keynote speech via video recording.

Minimum health standards were implemented during the ceremony to ensure safety of the attendees amid the pronouncement of Alert Level 1 in Metro Manila from May 16 to 31. (WRBuminaang/PIA-OCEO)