My brainchild is turning five years old

I was designated as Regional Information Officer when I joined the Department of Education Regional Office III in 2015. My main responsibility is to lead information dissemination projects to maintain and develop the agency's good image. Being a media practitioner myself and having PR experience from my previous work at SM, the task was not difficult and even became enjoyable on my part.

One of the earliest proposals I came up with is the production of a public affairs program where all the issues and concerns regarding education in public schools will be discussed and clarified, especially for the students and parents who are considered one of the main stakeholders of DepEd. The proposed title then was "CL in Focus", but due to lack of manpower and resources, the idea was not implemented.

It was in February 2020 that finally, my brainchild was made p o ssi b l e through the support of former Regional Dir ect or Nicolas Capulong. The show, which we launched in partnership with GNN TV 44 Pampanga (formerly Infomaxx where I served as a reporter and anchor in 2004) was a talk show program in which the various officials of DepEd RO III were invited to clarify or explain the programs, projects, and activities of the Department.

Even amidst the challenges brought by the pandemic, Edukasyon Central Luzon continued to be aired once a month through virtual and social media platforms. In 2021, through Edukasyon Central Luzon and other broadcasting initiatives I conceptualized such as the Handa Kami sa DepEd Region III Virtual Pressers, DepEd Region III was hailed as the National Champion in the first-ever Information Leaders' Awards of ILAW of the DepEd Public Affairs Service or PAS.

In 2022, with the support of RD May Eclar, Edukasyon Central Luzon was rebranded as a news program, in which the 20 schools division offices in the region provided news and updates from their respective areas to showcase their accomplishments and best practices. This program gave way to the discovery of teachers who also possess a knack for broadcasting and videography. The ECL News Edition, which will still be continued this year also features non-teaching personnel who serve as members of the SDO broadcast teams.

Four years after we first aired the first episode of Edukasyon Central Luzon, we will be launching Edukasyon Central Luzon sa Kabrida TV 12, our new teleradio program every Wednesday morning. This program will be streamed via the official Facebook page of DepEd Regional Office III and Kabrigada TV 12, the new social media channel of UBC Media, Inc., the oldest TV station in Pampanga.

My brainchild, ECL is turning five years old this February. For this feat, I am truly proud and accomplished.