DIPOLOG CITY, Aug.
15 (PIA) - - Today marks the first anniversary of the first online magazine
ever produced by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in the country – One
Mindanao.
It all started as
an e-news service in which news stories on government policies, pronouncements,
programs, projects and accomplishments had been forwarded to the individual
email addresses of public officials, businessmen, civic and religious leaders,
teachers, students and others. News stories posted on PIA website also found
their way to the inboxes of “Your News Today (YNT) and/or PIA e-news service
recipients.
From that simple
and plain sending of articles through e-mail, Fabia challenged the Mindanao
Regional Directors to come up with one electronic magazine featuring
development stories about Mindanao, the government and other interesting
stories from each region in the island. Thus, One Mindanao e-magazine news had
its maiden issue on August 15, 2011.
DG Fabia envisioned
to make One Mindanao a catalyst for change, carving in the minds of the
Mindanaoans that “they live in a beautiful and bountiful place” and that “they
will learn and practice a culture of peace” for socio-economic progress.
One Mindanao is now
a leading online magazine featuring the best stories about the island, which is
popularly known as the “land of promise” inhabited by people with “rich
history, culture and tradition.”
The magazine also
serves as a vehicle in promoting unity among the tri-people in the island – the
lumads, the Moslems and the Christians.
Government
projects, programs and policies aimed at improving the lives of Mindanaoans
find space in the magazine including the beautiful spots of each region,
province, city or municipality. Nothing escapes for PIA writers from Mindanao.
Subscribers to One
Mindanao keep growing and increasing day in and day out. PIA regional offices
and provincial centers always receive requests from government offices, private
organizations, students, teachers and other stakeholders to include them in the
list of One Mindanao subscribers.
PIA writers are
often invited to cover certain projects and events initiated either by
government agencies or private organization so that their stories would find
space in the magazine.
One Mindanao has also
engendered a spirit of unity among PIA personnel from regions 9, 10, 11, 12 and
CARAGA through their stories contained in the pages of the magazine which
heralds the events around the island.
The magazine is
also active in promoting the five major programs pursued by President Benigno
Simeon C. Aquino III, namely, economic development, climate change, good
governance, human development, and security, justice and peace.
Browsing through the
pages of One Mindanao, the beautiful places of the island are also featured by
PIA writers. Because of these stories, tourist arrivals have significantly
increased thereby boosting the tourism industry in this part of the country.
One subscriber to
One Mindanao even said: “Makalingaw gyud basahon ang One Mindanao kay mura’g
nasuroy nimo ang tibook dapit.” (Reading One Mindanao is very entertaining, as
if you are toured around the island.)
Amid the seas of
heartwarming comments about the magazine, PIA-9 Regional Director Noemi B.
Edaga could not help but recall how the YNT initiative of
Zamboanga-Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi (ZAMBASULTA) Information Manager Felipo David
Malcampo evolved into an e-magazine.
Having seen the efforts come into fruition, Fabia
commended PIA Mindanao for taking the lead in coming up with an e-magazine.
Kudos to one year
anniversary of PIA One Mindanao e-news magazine. Thank you DG Fabia for the
inspiration and Mabuhay po kayo. (NBE/FPG/PIA-Zambo Norte)