PR Congress puts spotlight on PR practice in Visayas, Mindanao

How PR is practiced, what trends influence campaigns, what challenges PR and communication practitioners deal with. These and other issues pertaining to PR practice in the Visayas and Mindanao take the spotlight for the first time at the upcoming 26th National Public Relations Congress.

The Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), the country’s premier organization for PR professionals, gathers together communication practitioners from the Visayas and Mindanao at this year’s congress set for Sept. 24 and 25, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

The session titled “Crossing Borders: Understanding PR Practice and Trends in Different Regions in the Philippines” will provide PR and communication professionals insights on what communicators from other areas in the country do and what they can adopt for their own practice. It will look into gaps and try to explore where standard practices can be adopted.

The little – or lack of – understanding of the brand and media dynamic, business landscape, psychosocial factors and other communication trends in the Visayas and Mindanao regions post a great challenge to many PR professionals, in particular when rolling out a nationwide campaign.

For one, crafting a message that resonates with audiences from these regions requires not only a deep understanding of regional communication nuances but also insights on current sociopolitical and even economic narratives that audiences might relate to or engage with.

Although PR practitioners now have access to new tools such as social media listening applications to gain insights on audience behavior and sentiments, industry experts assert the need to understand, if not adopt, regional strategies.

“Technology helps us have a better grasp of audience perception and sentiments in regions and areas outside Metro Manila. Nonetheless, it is significant that we hear directly from PR professionals from these regions on best practices in dealing with various communication channels such as regional media and influencers,” said Ana Pista, PRSP vice president-external and congress chairwoman.

In addition to understanding PR trends and challenges in areas outside the National Capital Region, the congress session on regional PR hopes to help promote the industry in these regions. While Metro Manila continues to host the bulk of PR agencies primarily because it is the country’s business center, many areas across the country are experiencing strong economic boost along with thriving SMEs and MSMEs.

In 2017 alone, micro, small, and medium enterprises represented 90 percent of all Philippine enterprises, according to the 2017 Philippine startup survey titled “Off to a Great Start: The Philippine Startup Ecosystem” conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, a multinational professional services network.

The 26th National Public Relations Congress offers discounts to PRSP members, students, members of the academe, government employees, NGOs, senior citizens and PWDs. Contact Monique Galza through moniquegalza.prsp@ardent.

com.ph or 6310511 for more information.