Communication matters
nance sharing.
worked closely with the National Development Company (NDC), I was relatively clueless about what they did and who their proj about their history, mandate and investment philosophy. During the NDC’s most recent public
last October 18, 2016 at the Dream Philippines Fair, Ma. Lourdes F. Rebueno, the NDC general manager, mentioned how progress that the organization has made ever since adopting the PGS. And she should be–the NDC has consistently reached its ambitious annual targets for new strategic investments in the agriculture and power sectors. The organization’s projects are needs- based and inclusive, targeting various economic hotspots in the country. Their recent ventures have been more effective in closing the gap grown to become a noteworthy driver of the national economy.
Unfortunately, this progress remains to be news for a sizeable majority. Very few media outlets covered the grand opening of the One- Megawatt Rizal Mini Hydropower–possibly the biggest and already the most publicized project of the organization thus far.Even investment experts know very little of the organization’s investment philosophy and portfolio, and there are still a number of people who cannot even get the name of the organization right; it is a company, not a corporation.
A mentor of mine once said that “success undocumented is not success.” Especially for a public institution like the NDC, it is fundamental that wins and other matters are reported to the public. The public must be informed of which projects their taxes fund and whether or not they agree with the government in this re- gard. As equal stakeholders in the process, citizens must be able to know about the services that they people on board with the strategy of the organization, employees within the organization and the communities they service must be able to identify the strategy itself. How can we, as regular citizens, participate in attaining the organization’s vision if we do not even know what it is?
Part of our work at ISA is encouraging our partners to craft internal and external communication plans that allow all stakeholders to support, sustain, and/ or improve the organization’s strategy. These plans are essential in ensuring collaborator awareness and resultant participation–from the lowest levels of the organization, the projects organizations decide to take on. Government organizations must make sure that their matter is communicated, because
Silent movements are great, but socio-political change is only possible if people are informed and voices are heard.Sustainable national development thrives in a deep partnership between the government and its constituents, and trust is an integral part of this relationship. If the government can successfully communicate our nation’s progress, then and will be more inclined to believe in good governance and participate in building our Dream Philippines.