GARC Holds Media Advocacy Workshop in the Province of Cebu

Philippines

In support to the Cebu provincial government’s Rabies Prevention and Elimination Program, the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), in partnership with the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) and the Provincial Information Office (PIO), conducted a Media Advocacy Workshop on Rabies Awareness and Prevention.

More than 40 participants including representatives from various media (print, radio, television) outlets, as well as city and municipal information officers, attended the all-day event held at Provincial Capitol Social Hall, on 22 April 2014.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Rabies Prevention and Control Program (NRPCP) showed their strong support as Undersecretary (Usec) Jose Reaño, DA Undersecretary for Livestock, and Dr.Rubina Cresencio, Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) Director were present in the activity.

Usec Reaño, in his opening message, lauded the relevance of the workshop and the importance of media in the rabies elimination program.

He encouraged the media practitioners to be active partners and treat the program as a "war against rabies". The workshop will equip them with knowledge and skills to combat that war.

Dr. Cresencio, on the other hand, presented an overview of the NRPCP and the strategies in place to achieve zero canine rabies in 2015.

Aside from the PVO, experts from the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit (DA-RFU) VII, Department of Health (DOH) Region VII, and Provincial Health Office (PHO) were also invited to shed light on the current rabies situation (cases both in human and canine) in the region and the province.

The participants were able to ‘refresh’ their communication skills as Prof. Sherwin Felicidario from the University of the Philippines Los Baños-College of Development Communication spoke on the role of communicators in effectively communicating public health messages. He also discussed several strategies for effective science reporting.

A workshop followed where the participants designed communication materials such as radio scripts, leaflets, and posters.  They also developed key messages on rabies prevention and elimination for the province. Concluding the activity is the participants’ ceremonial signing of a pledge of commitment signifying their support to the provincial rabies program.

Media Advocacy Workshops have previously been conducted in the Provinces of Sorsogon, Ilocos Norte, Bohol and Pampanga.

Currently, GARC is developing the Communicating Health Advocacy Mentorship Program (CHAMP) which serves as a follow through of the workshops conducted. CHAMP aims to mentor selected participants from the previous workshops to enhance their capacity in interpreting science-based information and reportage on public health risks such as in rabies.

By: Dane Medina (with Elaine Llarena)