Bridging gaps, building trust

Last week, information and communication officers from various national government agencies and local government units in Metro Manila convened at Meralco headquarters in Pasig for a meaningful discussion to share valuable insights and innovative ideas on effective communications with constituents and Filipino public.

A key takeaway from the conversations during the event was that both public and private sectors have the power- and the responsibility- to ensure that citizens receive clear, accurate and timely information.

The conference served as a platform for relevant dialogue on empowering the public to make informed decisions and actions. Meralco representatives, led by yours truly, discussed ways on how households can better monitor and manage their electricity consumption particularly in light of the upcoming dry season.

Meanwhile, officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) discussed developments in public healthcare coverage and voter education, respectively.

These are gut issues that directly impact people’s well-being and daily lives. Yet, too often, conflicting messages from various sources create confusion and even lead to misinformation that erodes public trust.

In today’s era of information overload – where one can easily find data with one click, distinguishing truth from lies has become a major challenge. The overwhelming volume of information available coupled with the rapid spread of disinformation, makes it increasingly difficult for people to discern credible sources from unreliable ones.

A joint survey conducted in February by Social Weather Stations and think-tank Stratbase Research and Intelligence showed that majority of Filipinos at 59 percent think that “fake news” is a serious problem on the internet. More concerning is that 62 percent see it as a serious problem in media – an alarming figure that reveals the difficulty of cultivating public awareness and trust.

In today’s fast-paced information landscape, many communicators are hyper-focused on delivering their respective messages to their target audiences, often overlooking opportunities for collaboration, making the exercise less effective. By working together, practitioners can actually simplify messaging and make it more impactful, leading to clearer and unified voice.

The abundance of readily available information complicates the mission to improve public awareness and build trust. This is where collaboration between the public and private sectors becomes crucial.

By working together, the government and corporations can develop a communication landscape that cuts through the noise of misinformation and fosters public trust. With this unified approach, both sectors can move beyond traditional information campaigns to empower citizens and drive national development.

Numerous campaigns have successfully brought together the public and private sectors to promote causes such as public safety, access to healthcare, environmental sustainability, and more. We can build on the successes of these initiatives, extracting key lessons and refining them for even greater impact in future campaigns.

Public trust is built and strengthened when citizens receive consistent and reliable information. Thus, it is necessary for institutions to align their messaging to reduce the risk of misinformation and confusion. After all, trust thrives on consistency, reliability, and transparency, all of which are considered cornerstones of effective communication.

While aligning communication efforts at the local level is essential, the need for consistency in messaging goes beyond the local scene. This was a key theme during the recent International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Asia Pacific Fusion Conference, where professionals from various industries all over the region recognized the shifting dynamics of the communication landscape.

At the conference, I had the privilege of sharing a message with fellow practitioners on what I believe remains the core principle of our profession: We have both the power and responsibility to fight for truth, integrity, and trust – fundamental pillars that uphold the very foundation of our role as communicators.

By working together – the public and private sector can bridge information gaps and ensure that people are equipped with the knowledge they need to make informed choices.

Because when information is timely, accurate, and clear, everyone benefits, ultimately empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and driving progress.