Sorsogon City – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Sorsogon, led by Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II (PARPO II) Nida A. Santiago, successfully convened the Sorsogon Communicators’ Network (SORCOMNET) for its Year-End Meeting and Workshop on December 20, 2024, at the DAR Conference Room within the City Hall Compound.
In her welcome address, PARPO II Santiago expressed gratitude to the Information Officers from various agencies for their dedication and valuable contributions. She emphasized the critical role of collaborative efforts in advancing information dissemination, which is crucial for empowering agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the coming years.
“Providing accurate and unbiased information to our clientele is a core value for DAR Sorsogon,” Santiago stated, emphasizing that this aligns with Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III’s ninth goal: to provide support services that inform and empower ARBs through effective communication channels such as news articles, features, and press releases.
Santiago highlighted several key information programs and campaigns spearheaded by the agency, including:
• Agraryo Singko: A quarterly newsletter disseminating vital information to the public.
• NaipunDAR: An annual magazine showcasing the accomplishments and initiatives of the department.
• Baretang Agraryo Singko Radio Program: A radio program featuring the progress and impact of the department’s Support to Parcelization and Land Tenure Improvement (SPLIT) activities.
During the meeting, Miss Bennie Recebido of the Philippine Information Agency generously offered a radio time slot for DAR Sorsogon to air the Baretang Agraryo Singko Radio Program, an offer that PARPO Santiago gladly accepted.
The meeting served as a valuable platform for participating agencies to review their significant achievements in 2024 and collaboratively discuss plans for the upcoming years.
A key highlight of the event was a pro-bono seminar-workshop on effective communication, facilitated by Dr. Felino S. Jasmin Jr. of the Kasangayahan Toastmasters Club. A mini-quiz was conducted to assess the grammar and writing skills of the participants, with the results to be used as a benchmark for future workshops and skill enhancement programs.
The meeting and workshop were attended by Information Officers from various government agencies, including the Department of Science and Technology, National Housing Authority, Philippine Information Agency, Sorsogon State University, Philippine Statistics Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Social Security System, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Army, Department of Interior and Local Government, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
SORCOMNET is a network of Information Officers from different National Government Agencies in Sorsogon province. DAR Sorsogon currently holds the presidency for the year 2024. During the meeting, DAR Sorsogon’s alternate PIO, Carmela Diane Añonuevo, presented the agency’s comprehensive plans for 2025 regarding information services, outlining strategies for enhanced communication and public engagement such as the conduct of PelikulAgraryo per DARCO Memorandum 554 series of 2024.
(Source: DAR Sorsogon)