By Paulo S. Pajarillo
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — Nearly 200 information leaders in the province and the Negros Island Region (NIR) were equipped with enhanced disaster communication and life-saving skills during the PIA Journ Talk Series 2026 – Information Officers’ Provincial Summit on September 15 in Bacolod City.
This annual event, organized by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, supports the mission of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of building resilient communities by providing opportunities for information frontliners to enhance their skills in delivering timely, accurate, and relevant information, especially in times of disasters.
Convened with the theme “Bantay-Kalamidad: Grassroots Communication Strategies for Disaster Risk Reduction,” information officers came from cities and towns in the province, including barangays and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) offices, government agencies at the provincial and regional levels, and media partners.
PIA Director General Katherine Chloe de Castro and Governor Eugenio Lacson led the summit, highlighting their firm partnership to further strengthen the network and empower information officers with relevant skills against disasters to which the Negros Island is vulnerable to.
“With the continuing alert over Kanlaon Volcano, the rainy season, and other climate and disaster risks, we are reminded that preparedness must begin before disaster strikes—and information is at the heart of preparedness,” de Castro said.
The director general also emphasized President Marcos’ agenda, citing the vital role of information officers as the link between government and communities.
“This is also part of the Bagong Pilipinas Agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr: a government that is responsive and closer to the people, and government cannot truly be close to the people if they do not have the information they need,” she added.
Governor Lacson likewise pointed out the activity’s value, stressing that despite the demand for immediacy amid disasters, pressure to provide information quickly should not come at the expense of accuracy.
“During an emergency, information can move very quickly. Reports come from different sources. Photos and videos are immediately shared. People seek answers, sometimes even before all the facts are available. In such situations, there is a strong pressure to provide information,” he said.
“But our responsibility is not simply to be first. We must also be right,” Lacson added, warning that unverified reports, especially during emergencies when information spreads rapidly through social media, can create confusion and erode public trust in government.
The summit featured lectures and practical discussions to equip participants with vital skills for effective disaster communication and life-saving skills from seasoned speakers.
One of the speakers was Jefry “Jeff” Canoy, chief of reporters of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs, who shared a guide to disaster reporting.
Canoy reminded participants to prioritize one’s safety in every coverage and provided a new perspective in storytelling beyond the obvious.
“Stories have an incredible power to move us, to connect us, and to make us think differently about our lives and the lives of others,” he said. “It can change the world or change how we see it.”
Together with Canoy as resource speakers were Romeo Subaldo, news chief of DigiCast Negros, who discussed the safety guide during disaster coverage; Janine Jambaro, Nurse II of Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital, on first aid essentials for frontline communicators; and Irene Bel Ploteña, head of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, on protocol briefing for hotlines and first responders. (AGP/PSP/PIA Negros Occidental)
