The Department of Health (DOH) Region IX, in collaboration with Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Basilan and Isabela City Information Office, is conducting a Health Communication Planning Workshop for two days, scheduled on September 15-16, and actively participated by the 45 Barangay Information Officers (BIO) within Isabela City. The workshop is taking place at Astoria Hotel in Zamboanga City, which aims to enhance the application of health communication planning that is essential to improve an informed community, is a healthier community.
As part of DOH’s initiatives to improve public health services, the day 1 workshop began with an opening remarks delivered by Dr. Erica Mae Piedad – Jamanulla, LHS Cluster Head and a Medical Officer IV, where she welcomed the BIOs and acknowledged that their presence reflects their commitment as communicators in their respective barangays. She underscored that the training will help them to be closer to their community and creating a strategic health communication plan will have an engaging and impactful changes.
Expectations from the BIOs were raised, followed by the topic about Risk Communication tackled by Bernardita Hontucan, Health Education and Promotion Officer III from City Health Office and emphasized the tools and techniques for effective communication, how to face challenges on risk communication, and stressed the role of BIOs in promoting clear and accurate information.
On the other hand, Ronald Ferrer, Health Education and Promotion Officer III from DOH IX, presented the 8-Point Action Health Agenda of Government Priority Programs and Advocacies/Mandatories under PBBM Administration where BIOs can capacitate the residents to be always ready when unexpected health crisis occurs.
Moreover, CIO and GAD Focal Mendry-Ann Lim, featured the best practices of Barangay Information Officers and discussed the strategies of maximizing communication through various information platforms and channel management to strengthen BION across communities. She highlighted that an effective information dissemination is by using an inclusive, citizen-centered, and engaging media platforms.
Furthermore, Jocelyn Alvarez, Info Center Manager from Zamboanga Sibugay introduced the Situation Analysis (SWOT) Analysis in terms of area development through creating a communication plan and facilitated the workshop of BIOs which focuses on their roles as grassroots communicators. Groups where divided into four clusters (North, West, East, and Island) based on their localization, then the issues and interventions were raised during presentation.
The Isabela City BION was recognized as a trailblazer in Zamboanga Peninsula that plays a crucial role as the grassroots communication arm of the city government, serving as the bridge between the LGU and the barangays. Their active involvement ensures that vital health and development information is effectively disseminated to communities and vice versa, empowering residents to make right and healthier choices towards a better community.
The Barangay Information Officers Network (BION), composed of 45 community volunteers from Isabela City’s barangays, was established in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic through the leadership of Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman with the technical assistance of PIA IX. Armed with information, BION became the city’s frontline communicators—fighting misinformation and ensuring timely, accurate, and life-saving updates reached every household.
