ESPRESSO MORNINGS
By Joe Zaldarriaga
Under his guidance, Meralco achieved unprecedented milestones, clinching a historic 3-peat Company of the Year title at the IABC Philippine Quill Awards, scoring the only PR Team of the Year trophy bestowed at the Anvil Awards, and securing numerous honors at international and local communication awards.
Manong Joe’s leadership also extends as a respected member of the Board of Trustees for the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), concurrent with his role as Chairman of the International Association of Business Communicators Philippines (IABC Philippines) where he also served as its President.
Manong Joe is a distinguished awardee of the medallion of honor and scroll of commendation from the University of Manila, owing to his years in public service as a communications professional. He shares his insights through columns in renowned publications, including The Philippine Star’s The Z Factor, and Philippine News Agency’s ESPRESSO MORNINGS.
Last week, information and communication officers from different national government agencies and local government units (LGUs) gathered at Meralco to discuss ideas and ways how to share new and vital information effectively and efficiently with the public. The discussion was productive – one that underscored the power and responsibility of both public and private sectors in ensuring that people receive clear, accurate, and timely information.
The meeting became a platform for meaningful dialogue on exploring better ways to empower the public to make informed decisions and actions. During the gathering, Meralco representatives led by yours truly discussed ways on how households can better monitor and manage their electricity consumption considering the upcoming dry season. On the other hand, officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) discussed developments in public healthcare coverage and voter education, respectively.
These are gut issues that directly impact people’s daily lives. Yet, too often, conflicting messages from various sources create confusion and even lead to misinformation that only erodes public trust.
In today’s era of information overload – where one can easily find data with one click, distinguishing truth from lies has become a major challenge. The sheer volume of information available coupled with the rapid spread of disinformation, makes it increasingly difficult for people to discern credible sources from unreliable ones.
A February joint survey by Social Weather Stations and think-tank Stratbase Research and Intelligence showed that majority of Filipinos at 59 percent think that “fake news” is a serious problem on the Internet. Meanwhile, 62 percent see it as a serious problem on the media – an alarming figure in relation to cultivating public awareness and trust.
In today’s fast-paced communication landscape, many communicators are hyper-focused on getting their respective messages across to their target audiences, often overlooking opportunities for collaboration to make messaging and understanding easier – for both the messengers and the audience.
The abundance of information readily available for anyone poses a major challenge in building public awareness and trust. This is where collaboration between the public and private sectors becomes crucial. By working together, the government and the private sector can develop a communication landscape that fosters public trust and cuts through the noise of misinformation.
Both government and the private sector have a critical role in today’s mass communication landscape to enhance the dissemination of crucial information and ensure that citizens receive consistent and reliable information. By embracing a unified approach to communications, the public and private sector can go beyond mere information campaigns to empower citizens and drive national development.
Citizens develop and strengthen public trust when they receive consistent and reliable information which makes it necessary for institutions to align their messaging to reduce the risks of misinformation and confusion. Trust, after all, thrives on consistency, reliability, and transparency.
The importance of partnerships between government and private communicators cannot be overstated. Aligning key messages strengthens institutional credibility and ensures that the public is guided by facts rather than confusion.
While aligning communication efforts at the local level is essential, the need for consistency in messaging goes beyond the local scene. This was acknowledged during the recent International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Asia Pacific Fusion Conference, where professionals from various industries recognized the shifting dynamics of the communication landscape.
In an era where misinformation thrives, communicators bear the responsibility to provide factual, well-contextualized information that influences positive social change. I was privileged to share a message with fellow practitioners that remains at the core of our profession: We have the power and responsibility to fight for truth, integrity, and trust – fundamental pillars of our profession.
By working together – the public and private sector can bridge information gaps and ensure that people are equipped with the knowledge they need to make informed choices.
Because when information is timely, accurate, and clear, everyone benefits.
