Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) joins the Food Security Cluster Communications Workshop organized by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija on April 3 to 5, 2024.

The three-day workshop is in line with the PCO’s commitment to engage and involve the three (3) key sectors in enriching the quality of public discourse on the national food security sector. The sectors are (1) the administrators of food security programs in the executive branch, (2) the government communicators for food security-related content such as agriculture policies, programs, and projects, and (3) the media practitioners covering the Department of Agriculture and its attached agencies, the Department of Trade and Industry, and other related government agencies that support the food security program of the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos (PBBM).

Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel, Jr. served as the keynote speaker at the event. During his speech, the agri chief reiterated the DA’s support to the PCO in its pledge to deliver transparent, accurate, and reliable information to the public. Mr. Tiu Laurel said that communication takes a crucial vital role in the Bagong Pilipinas campaign of President Bongbong Marcos Jr.

"This workshop is an avenue for greater collaboration among government agencies and private media practitioners on how to effectively deliver information relative to the government’s thrusts, programs, and projects," the DA secretary said. 

A series of plenary topics were discussed during the three-day workshop, including the State of Agriculture in the Philippines (DA Secretary Kiko Tiu Laurel); A Filipino Farmer in the Midst of a Competitive World (DA Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and Regulations Atty. Asis G. Perez); The State of Trade and Industry in Food Security (Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual); Covering the Presidency and the Food Security Agenda (PCO Secretary Cheloy E. Velicaria-Garafil, MNSA); and Optimizing Digital Media for Food Security Communications (PCO Undersecretary Emerald Anne R. Ridao).

On the second day, a workshop on Futures Scenario and Food Crisis Simulation Tool was conducted to serve as practical guidance to help participants develop a strategy and communicate effectively with their target audiences.

Moreover, several experiential field visits to PhilRice and Central Luzon State University (CLSU)’s Kamalig Science and Technology Agritourism Site were also conducted to reinforce what the participants learned during the workshop sessions.

Around 80 participants from selected media practitioners, correspondents from the Philippine News Agency, Philippine Information Agency, PTV Radio Pilipinas, and key government communications focal persons attended the workshop.

Mr. Miguel M. Pilarta, Officer-in-Charge of PFDA Public Information Division, represented the agency in the said workshop. 

(Miguel M. Pilarta and Mark Angelo N. Perez – Public Information Division)