Caraga RDRRMC strengthens risk communication strategy through two-day workshop
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — In a proactive move to enhance disaster preparedness and public safety communication, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Caraga, in partnership with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga, conducted a two-day seminar-workshop focused on refining the Caraga Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (RDRRMC) Strategic Risk Communication Plan.
Held last September 25–26 at the OCD Caraga regional office in Butuan City, the activity brought together a diverse group of participants from across the region. Attendees included representatives from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (PDRRMOs), the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (CDRRMD) of Butuan City, provincial information officers, warning and response agencies, and majority of PIA Caraga personnel.
As the communication arm of the government mandated to deliver accurate, relevant, and timely information to the public, PIA Caraga Regional Director Venus L. Garcia delivered her message of support during the preliminaries. She emphasized the significance and timeliness of the topics to be discussed, especially as Tropical Storm ‘Opong’ was affecting several parts of the country at the time.
“In times of disaster and crisis, communication is not just a resource–it becomes a lifeline. As government communicators, we bear the responsibility of ensuring that every message we deliver empowers communities, guides decision-makers, and fosters trust in the government,” she said.
Garcia likewise stressed the essential need for a unified messaging when communicating risks and hazards to the communities to ensure the alignment of objectives among government institutions.
“This workshop reinforces the importance of coordination, clarity, and compassion in our messaging. It equips us to navigate the complexities of risk communication with confidence and purpose, especially in an era where misinformation can spread faster than any storm,” she expounded.
The seminar opened with a comprehensive overview of the importance of risk communication in disaster management. Discussions emphasized the need for clear, timely, and culturally sensitive messaging to ensure that communities understand potential hazards and know how to respond appropriately.
Ronald Anthony P. Briol, Information Officer II of OCD Caraga and lead facilitator of the training, highlighted the importance of crafting risk communication plans tailored to each locality. He explained that effective communication of hazards and their potential impacts—especially to vulnerable sectors—is not merely about disseminating messages, but about providing life-saving information.
“When we are able to effectively communicate the hazards and the possible effects that may come with it to the communities, especially the vulnerable sectors, we are not merely giving out messages, rather, we are providing them with crucial information necessary to save their lives,” he explained.
Briol walked the participants through the stages of developing a reliable and needs-based risk communication plan, which involves various types of analysis. Participants were grouped by province and tasked with identifying hazards unique to their respective areas.
Carlo Boneto C. Becera, another information officer from OCD Caraga, led the module on media relations. He underscored the vital role of media in promoting the four thematic pillars of DRRM: disaster prevention and mitigation; disaster preparedness, disaster response; and disaster rehabilitation and recovery.
“The media helps us amplify key messages and keep the public informed that the government is actively working to address the needs of the people, especially in times of disaster and emergency,” he said.
Becera further stressed that as government communicators, private media practitioners should not be seen as adversaries, rather, they must be acknowledged as the government’s partners in delivering live-saving communication to a wider reach.
Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante, information officer I of PIA Caraga, echoed this sentiment in her session on working effectively with the media. She emphasized the importance of cultivating strong relationships with local media partners and aligning them with the objectives of risk and crisis communication.
“As our partners in information dissemination, we must also consider involving the media in trainings related to DRRM, so that our media partners are able to help us relay early warnings, support DRRM advocacies, and help mobilize donations and resources—all with the goal of maximizing communication to save lives and help communities recover,” she shared.
Earlier this year, on July 17, OCD Caraga, with support from PIA, convened local media partners and government information officers for an orientation on DRRM. The activity aimed to deepen their understanding of disaster risk reduction and instill a sense of concern and empathy, thereby strengthening their support for government programs and initiatives.
PIA Caraga continues to collaborate with OCD Caraga and support the Caraga RDRRMC’s activities in strengthening their information, education, and communication (IEC) campaigns and relaying the government’s efforts down to the grassroots.
As a culminating activity of the seminar-workshop, participants were tasked with developing localized risk communication plans for their respective areas. These drafts will undergo thorough review and deliberation by the Caraga RDRRMC’s Risk Communication Cluster. Once consolidated, the final regional strategic risk communication plan will be presented for approval during the council’s fourth quarter meeting in November.
To formally conclude the two-day seminar-workshop, Caraga RDRRMC Acting Chairperson Lorene S. Catedral, officer-in-charge of OCD Caraga, expressed her gratitude to the facilitators and participants of the activity putting a spotlight on the relevance and urgency of the subject matter.
“I would like to convey my profound gratitude to everyone who took part in the realization of this seminar-workshop to enhance the Caraga RDRRMC’s regional strategic risk communication plan. We should always bear in mind that through our effective risk communication plan, we become not just information officers, but lifesavers. On behalf of the council, I look forward to our continued collaboration toward fostering a safer and more resilient Caraga,” expressed Catedral.
The seminar-workshop marked a significant step toward institutionalizing strategic risk communication across the region. It reinforced the importance of collaboration among DRRM offices, information officers, and response agencies in building resilient communities through informed and coordinated disaster risk reduction efforts. (NJGD/PIA Caraga)
