NAGA CITY (PIA) --  More than 40 Multi-Sectoral Advisory Board (MSAB) members serving as Chairpersons of the Strategic Communication (StratCom) Committee, Deputy G7, and personnel representing various Philippine Army (PA) units, converge during the Strategic Communication Committee Forum held Dec. 8 at Somerset, Central Salcedo Village, Makati, Metro Manila.

With the theme “Recalibrating strategies, Strengthening Synergies,” the participants were directed to the Army’s new vision of further integrating and establishing the foundation of a new brand of communication that will sustain the Army’s gains in the past few years.

“The momentum is already here. We just need to sustain it. The 9th Infantry Division, in particular, has been enjoying a high trust and satisfaction rating as per the survey conducted by our very own MSAB member, Dr. Herbert Rosana from the Bicol University,” 9th Infantry Division StratCom Committee Deputy G7 Major Eric A. Estidola said in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency-Camarines Sur.

The summit gathered all the Army’s stakeholders, particularly communicators whose main vision is focused on integrating key ideas to realize the Philippine Army’s vision and the fulfillment of its new mission: A world-class, multi-mission ready, and cross-domain capable Philippine Army by 2040.

AGSMO Communication Development Officer Paul Ephraim Lopez said that the success of the new Communication plan will depend largely on the commitment of the StratCom committee on the ground as implementers.

The confab also served as a venue for the participants to have constructive engagement and come up with a collaborative platform that will address the increasing need for information dissemination, particularly in the grassroots community.

Other speakers were also invited to grace the event and share their insights on the status of the PA’s Transformation roadmap.

Bicol University Department of Peace Studies Chairperson and 9ID MSAB member Dr. Herbert Rosana delivered his topic entitled Communicating 9IDs Performance through the result of the Satisfaction and Trust Rating survey via Virtual teleconference.

His work is one of the 9ID MSAB’s best practices.

He said that performance measures of the MSAB’s communication strategies are crucial as they reflect how it can better serve the people and the Army’s external partners.

“Do not romanticize peace, make peace practically by setting realistic goals to achieve it,” Rosana said in his virtual lecture.

Other invited resource persons include The Daily Tribune  Editor-in-Chief Virginia Arcilla-Agtay who emphasized that communicators should focus their information dissemination efforts on sectors that are still unaware, misinformed, and unwilling to be informed.

Internal Audit Service and Media Affairs and Community Relations Office Supervising Senior Official, Usec. Godess Hope Biliran shared her insights on PR Management and Crisis Communication Strategies.

“The goal of crisis communication is to alleviate the human suffering caused by the crisis before saving the reputation of the organization. Know when to negotiate and when to control, when to allow dispute and when to contain it,” Biliran said.

In his keynote message, Former MSAB Chairperson Senator Robin Padilla emphasized the critical role of communication to convey the Philippine Army’s mission and goals to its target audience, especially to the youth who are often lured by the Communist Terrorist Groups (CGTs) to blindly follow the wrong ideology of gaining peace.  

“Proud po ako, at pasensya na po sa salitang gagamitin ko, na ipinagyayabang ko po ang uniporme na ito, lalo na pagiging reservist ko at pagiging Phil Army. Hindi ko ito inililihim sapagkat isa po iyan sa naging misyon ko sa Strategic Communication  --  na ipaalam sa kabataan ang kasaysayan ng Philipine Army. Hindi po tayo dapat pumayag na agawin ng mga rebelde ang sinasabi nilang sila ang Katipunan. Kalokohan na malaki, ang Katipunan ay ang Philippine Army -  tayo yan,” Padilla said.  

Senator Padilla also enjoined both Christians and Muslims to prove that the CTGs' divisive propaganda will not triumph as there is no reason for the two religious sects to fight, instead, they should prove that they are united in creating a haven for every Filipino.  (PIA5/Camarines Sur)