Advancing collaborative engagement, CSO consultation and Strategic Communications Workshop commences

In a proactive bid to increase the stakeholder participation and widen the reach of information dissemination in Caraga, the Regional Office started the first day of April strong with its back to back regionwide activities which are the Presentation/Consultation of 2025 Budget Proposal with the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and the Strategic Communications Planning Workshop at Almont Inland Resort, Butuan City.

For the CSO activity, OIC-Assistant Regional Director for Admin. & Support Services, Joie L. Ceballos, explained the importance of the CSO's participation in the budget formulation of the department to further strengthen its effort of transparency and improving excellence.

He further emphasized that, "active involvement of citizens in the budget process results to a more responsive 2025 budget allocation, fosters effective governance, and enhances the provision of public services."

Participants for this CSO consultation included representatives from the various farmer organizations throughout Caraga and key field implementers involved in the budget process.

On the latter half, the Strategic Communications Planning Workshop started with the operational directives set by the Central Office under its information arm which goals are to further streamline and communicate more effeciently DAR's mandates to all its clients and stakeholders. As such, it is all the more imperative for DAR to create a cohesive strategic communications plan for FY 2024 to effectively communicate and engage with key audiences by distributing compelling, consistent messages and information through this workshop.

In connection, provincial information officers and other key personnel and support staff served as the target participants for this activity.

Regional Information Officer Christian Lafuente also provided a brief background of the recent major updates of Project SPLIT (Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling) and of NAEA (New Agrarian Emancipation Act, RA 11953).

OIC-ARD Ceballos again shared his meaningful words to the participants of unifying our goals for an effective information drive.

Regional Director Atty. Merlita S. Capinpuyan, who is out on equally-important activities, sent her well-meaning message as inspiration to participants of both activities by saying, "all these are only aimed at intensifying our efforts for a more interactive and transparent government, especially here at DAR Caraga."

The strategic communications workshop will run until Wednesday, April 3, 2024.