Climate change advocacy launched

CEBU, Philippines - A joint massive region-wide climate change information advocacy drive of the Philippine Information Agency and Department of Environment and Natural Resources was launched yesterday to increase awareness and hopefully resulting to preparedness for its ill effects.

The partnership was sealed thru a memorandum of agreement signed by PIA-7 and DENR-7 officials in December last year.

Under the MOA, DENR shall provide for the funding for the aggressive multi-sectoral campaign exhausting various media platforms both traditional and emerging like social media and blogging, among others.

The program is pegged at P2 million budget which will be used by PIA to execute the media plan it designed duly approved by DENR.

Furthermore, technical assistance such as providing resource persons as well as scientific data will be provided to PIA, which role include preparing for the necessary script and broadcast production as well as maintaining social media accounts (Facebook page, for example).

As stated in the implementation plan, PIA will be conducting campus advocacy activities involving all school levels, media briefing, creation of Media in Environment Development  organization by tapping the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.

Present during yesterday’s launch were PIA Central Visayas director Minerva Newman, PIA director general Jose Mari Oquinena, DENR Central Visayas executive director Isabelo Montejo.

The three officials pledged their full commitment into ensuring that the project reaches its optimal goal by signing at the tarpaulin put up at the launching inside Hotel Elizabeth in Cebu City.

In attendance were the different information officers of local government units and government agencies since the launch was done at the RADIO-7 regional information summit.

An earlier MOA was signed at the national level with PIA and DENR central offices leaders formalizing the campaign last November 2013. —/FPL (FREEMAN)