Mindanao-wide communicators’ congress opened in Zamboanga

DAVAO DEL NORTE, November 13 (PIA) - - Around 200 public information officers from local and national government agencies in the southern Philippines convened in Zamboanga City for the 12th Mindanao Communicators Network (MindaComNet) Congress, which started yesterday (November 12) until November 14.

Efren Elbanbuena, regional director of the Philippine Information Agency XI and MindaComNet president, said that this year’s congress anchored on the theme “Build Back Better Mindanao” to showcase the efforts of the government in rehabilitating disaster damaged areas in Mindanao.

“This congress will present the efforts of the government in typhoon-stricken areas like in Davao Oriental and Cagayan de Oro and man-made disasters like the siege in Zamboanga,” Elbanbuena said.

He added that the discussions will also include climate change and the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which is a milestone in bringing back peace in Mindanao.

Elbanbuena disclosed that the slogan was first used in Davao Oriental in its campaign in the rehabilitation of the damaged done by Super Typhoon Pablo.

“Davao Oriental under Gov. Corazon Malanyaon first utilized the catchphrase ‘Build Back Better Davao Oriental’ and now it is being adopted nationwide,” he said.

He also disclosed that the congress went back to where it was conceived.

“It was sometime in 1996 during the reign of former Pres. Fidel Ramos that the concept of creating a public communicators’ group was conceived,” he added.

Elbanbuena said that since then, the MindaComNet is the only cluster of its kind that consistently conducts annual conference. (PIA 11, Michael Uy)