Conclusion
MY colleagues’ wish list for public relations and for the Philippines continues with this second part.
You already read the first batch of wishes composed of our Ipra Philippine chapter members (BusinessMirror, January 11, 2016). Now, you will get to meet six more prominent PR practitioners who are also proud members of Ipra Philippines and who all collectively wish for the continuous growth and professionalization of public relations in our country via one shared vision to elevate the standards of our practice.
Another common wish for many of us is to band together “to set unified rules and accreditation for all practitioners” and as one of them said, “to chart the direction for our practice.”
For the Philippines, we all wish for a new leadership to emerge that will govern us with integrity, sincerity, intelligence and dignity and who will hopefully recognize their huge responsibility in leading “Brand Philippines.”`
Jingjing Romero
President, Stratos PR
MY wish for 2016: For the PR industry to be the catalyst or enabler, if not a game changer, in a company’s viability and profitability. For the PR industry to get the credit/recognition it rightfully deserves.
For our country, I hope we can elect a new administration that will focus on inclusive growth and development in the next six years. This strategy will give a real meaning to our “Asian tiger” image in the world economic stage. I dream of a Philippine society where marginalized groups are also stakeholders. That, regardless of age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, poverty, etc., every Filipino has equal access to social and health services and protection, education and economic/employment opportunities at least.
Milen de Quiros
President, Full Circle Communications Inc.
THE year 2015 has been a fruitful year for the local PR industry. We embraced trends and created and pushed for campaigns that were able to change lives. As we welcome another year, I hope that we, the practitioners, will continue to have a shared vision for the industry—one that would elevate the standards of our practice while being partners for nation-building.
Richard P. Burgos
Past National Chairman of Ipra Philippines
(He has just returned from a three-year stint in Hyderabad, India, and now wants to serve our country and people.)
IT has been a banner year for the Philippines, particularly in the international beauty area. The latest Miss Universe contest ended a title drought for the country since 1972, as our own Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach bagged the coveted crown—after the event host first mistakenly called out Miss Colombia as the winner, an epic fail. Steve Harvey, of course, quickly turned around the global discomfiture of the moment by apologizing for the honest mistake and taking full responsibility for the error in what some sectors call a “class act.”
In many ways, PR people are like the program host, bridging the content of their clients with their intended audiences, consumers and stakeholders, and creating bonds of trust and credibility between brands they represent and their publics. These bonds take a lot of effort and time to build, but a wrong counsel, move, message or even product can quickly sever them and cause brand reputation to come crashing down.
It is my wish that in 2016, PR practitioners take stock of the strength of their personal brands to enhance them even more. It’s the best insurance for that one bad moment at one of the worst possible times. If Steve Harvey can rise up from that infamous blooper, it is because he has built an incredible amount of goodwill as an excellent entertainer, comedian, game-show host, television host, role model and philanthropist. People love him and are willing to give him a second chance to once again showcase his perseverance, resilience and strength of character. He might yet again host the next Miss Universe pageant, but not everyone will be twice as lucky as he.
Bong Osorio
VP/Head, Corporate Communications, ABS-CBN Corp.
MY wish for the PR industry is that the vision of creating a PR board be fulfilled this year. The board brings together the three major PR organizations—PRSP, IABC and Ipra—and collectively serve as the lead organization that will institute development in the industry, work with the academe and influence the PR course offerings in schools that offer PR and communication courses, establish mechanisms for continuous professional advancement, generate initiatives that will promote greater respect for the profession, and make positions on issues that impact the PR industry and the nation.
The PR board should help chart the direction for the practice, such as defining the general principles and ethical standards for the trade and outlining the implementing rules and regulations of the profession.
For the country, my fervent wish is that we be blessed with a President and other government leaders who will advance the interests of the people more than their own; govern with integrity, industry and compassion; and represent the Philippines in the world stage with intelligence and dignity.
Charisse G. Chuidian
Vice President, Public Relations, City of Dreams Manila
MY personal wish for the PR industry and for our country in 2016:
That the experienced and acknowledged PR professionals continue to edify the various publics they serve, inspire those starting out in the industry, and mentor those who may have started with incorrect foundation—that PR is about fostering goodwill and creating a positive image, and in so doing, speak the truth (and not cover a lie) in ways that the public will appreciate and understand. Those with success stories using multimedia platforms would do well to share these (sans classified information, of course), so others who are less exposed to the workings of PR can better understand it, seek it and benefit from it. The PR achievements, while individually nurturing the businesses that they serve, would collectively redound to the overall growth of PR practice in the country.
As the fold of PR practitioners grows, all PR groups band together under one strong, national umbrella/mother organization that will set the unified rules and accreditation in the practice of PR in the country, and counsel, if not sanction, as necessary, erring practitioners. We wish for a body similar to the advertising industry’s governing body.
And my wish for the country, it could be more, but I will stick with one: The improvement of the traffic situation and subsequently, productivity. Even if only by 40 percent, i.e., reduce an hour’s travel from point to point for example, to 40 minutes.
The achievement of this comes with enforcement of discipline by knowledgeable traffic enforcers in motorists, pedestrians, public transport, etc. To this day, one is witness to jeepneys and buses unloading or boarding passengers in a middle lane on a main thoroughfare; vehicles parked on the streets that could be alternative routes; pedestrians habitually walking on the streets because the sidewalks have become parking spaces. And, as has been suggested by a few—and painful perhaps – the creation of proper zoning law.
Noel Nieva
President and CEO, Perceptions Inc.
MY wish for the PR industry in the country would be the continuing growth of interest among—our youth in the practice.
Better communicators beget a better world. A landscape where clarity of message and timeliness of response carries far greater weight than exploiting the medium and reach. Today, with tailored, on-demand spaces all over, accessible 24/7, information, true or otherwise, stands to be compromised. The PR professionals are the vanguards of true information.
New blood, with the creativity and idealism of today’s youth, will enable the industry to prevent the reading public from getting jaded. I hope to see programs and campaigns that promote values and virtues that change the nation rather than trick the consumers. The ability to change the national attitude, whether to become more cost-effective, family-oriented or God-fearing, using today’s amazingly effective and efficient channels is a tremendous responsibility, indeed.
My wish for the Philippines this 2016 is for us to have leaders who recognize that they are “brand Philippines.”
We are reaching a point where being branded as “corrupt,” “dangerous” and “filthy” become merely part of business. Our sensitivity to such previously strong statements is lesser and the “resilient” Pinoys just shrug these off.
Perhaps, the mountain of issues that face our officials are overwhelming beyond my understanding. However, as with any firm facing a crisis, the approach should not merely be window dressing. It should be with swift and effective resolve, not with crossed fingers and a prayer that a bigger, more sensational issue comes around to relegate the current problem to the back page.
May these new (or old) leaders have conviction to take the bull by the horns and solve with consistency and efficacy, not via “PR” statements but with truth and determination, the necessary ingredients for a true PR program.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the UK-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra, the world’s premier association for senior communications professionals around the world. Joy Lumawig-Buensalido is the president and CEO of Buensalido & Associates Public Relations.
PR Matters is devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@gmail.com.