• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Victorias Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez is among the 14 state communicators honored during the “Parangal: Gawad ng Kahusayan sa Komunikasyong Pampubliko” by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City Dec. 16.
Victorias bagged the Public Service Campaign Award, city-level category, for its Sidlak Victorias: Strengthening Community, Building Opportunity campaign.
Benitez, who received the award, said in a post Dec. 17 that he commends the efforts of the Victorias City Information Office (VCIO), led by Joy Famini, “in heralding truth and information, reflecting our city’s shared vision for accountable and transparent governance”.
The VCIO was earlier awarded as Best Performing Information Office, while Famini bagged the Best Performing Information Officer award for the second consecutive year at the Western Visayas Information Officers’ regional summit in Iloilo City Dec. 12.
The Public Service Campaign Award recognizes government agencies for implementing the best campaigns at both local and national levels, effectively bridging the gap between government initiatives and public understanding, the PCO said in a statement.
Aside from Victorias, other winners of this award are the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the national government agencies category, Bataan for provincial-level, and Lupon, Davao Oriental in the municipal level.
For the Government Innovation Award, the Pag-IBIG Fund was recognized for government financial institutions (GFIs) and government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) for its “Feel Pag-IBIG at your fingerprint through the Virtual Pag-IBIG”; and the Department of Information and Communications Technology for its EGOVPH App and DICT E-Government Platforms.
The Pag-IBIG Fund also won the Website of the Year award for its Add to Cart: The Pag-IBIG Fund Online Public Auction; Outstanding Digital Campaign awardees – Securities and Exchange Commission for its SEC Advance Free Loan Scam FAQ Reel Series (best short-form campaign) and National Privacy Commission for its Privacy in The Spotlight (best long-form campaign).
The Department of Budget and Management received the Champion of Information Integrity Award for its Building a Better-Informed Citizenry through Fiscal Transparency, while DSWD assistant secretary Irene Dumlao was named Outstanding Public Communicator, the PCO said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who graced the event, stressed the importance of effective communication in fostering trust between the government and its citizens.
“While these awards recognize your achievements, they are also declarations of leadership standards that enhance public awareness and empower participation in governance,” Marcos said in his speech.
This inaugural annual awards program of the PCO recognizes outstanding communication campaigns and strategies by government agencies and local government units.
It serves as a platform to showcase the best practices in government communication, encouraging agencies to adopt innovative strategies that resonate with the Filipinos.
Meanwhile, the VCIO said that Victorias is the only LGU/agency in Negros Occidental to receive the Best Performing Information Office and Best Performing Information Officer awards during the regional summit this year.
Its Barangay Information Officers’ Network was also commended as a regional trailblazer in grassroots communication, further elevating the city’s reputation in public information.
These achievements are a testament to the unwavering support and visionary leadership of Benitez and the city officials, whose dedication to fostering transparency and effective communication has been pivotal to the city’s success, the VCIO said in a press release. | CGC
