Tabak commander urges military officers to establish good rapport with media

By Gideon C. Corgue

LABANGAN, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR – The newly installed 1^st Infantry division commander has recently urged military officers to establish and develop good rapport with the media.

In his message in last Thursday’s fellowship with the local press at the Officers’ Club House, Camp Major Cesar Sang-an, Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, Brigadier General Daniel Lucero underscored the crucial role of media in the promotion of peace and security by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

BGen. Lucero recalled that when he was the commander of the 103rd brigade, he lost a number of good commanders for failure to establish good working relationship with media. “They failed to properly relate themselves with the media, thus they were relieved from their posts,” Lucero declared.

Lucero, who once served as AFP spokesman during the time of AFP chief Lieutenant General (LtGen.) Narciso Abaya from April 2003 to October 2004, admitted that though he has no formal education and training about media handling but he learned it in his own way.

The Tabak chief recalled that on his first day of handling media at the AFP General Headquarters, he met American Public Affairs Officers and national media practitioners.

“I received several phone calls from the media as early as 3:00 a.m. even during weekends. I have to attend to their calls because if I will not do so, they will report to my boss that I am sleeping on my duty,” Lucero said.

“I learned to smile even though I was not feeling great and that I called it as ‘media harassment’,” Lucero quipped.

Lucero, however admitted that during his stint as spokesperson in the AFP he had learned many lessons. “One good lesson that I learned was to value media relations,” he said.

He also shared with his senior and junior officers some important points in facing the media: Be ready of giving information, know their educational background and leanings, the message to send should be clear for them to absorb.     

The 1^st Infantry Division has existing Tabak Defense Press Corps that is responsible for disseminating information on the programs and activities of the AFP under its president Leah Agonoy. (PIA9)