Women power in Audio-Bohol

Bohol Governor Arthur C. Yap is flanked by figures of women empowerment in the Audio-Bohol: incoming president Ma. Lydia D. Bantugan of the Department of Agrarian Reform – Bohol and outgoing president Fiel Angeli E. Araoarao – Gabin of the City Government of Tagbilaran.

Former Tagbilaran City beauty queen and information officer of the City Government of Tagbilaran  Fiel Angeli E. Araoarao - Gabin turned over the leadership  as  president of the Association of United Development Information Officers (Audio) – Bohol to Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) – Bohol’s Ma. Lydia "Merly" Diez- Bantugan. 

The simple but meaningful ceremonies was held at the newly-opened Green Thumb Farm Al Fresco Resto in Purok 4, Barangay Sambog, Corella identified as one of the Agricultural Training Institute - Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC) -7 learning sites for agriculture, as well as tourism bubble destinations in Bohol owned by Jares and Rona M. Denque.

Fiel, who served as Audio president for two years, was thankful for her “purposeful, fruitful, colorful, and insightful service as president. 

She challenged her information officer-colleagues to be creative by doing concerted efforts and actions that transcend beyond the “usual” talking and exchanging updates in one’s comfort zones, as information to be shared should not only be confined or limited to those from or about the LGUs and NGAs, but most importantly, about necessary or critical information that can inspire and motivate the human spirit and even help save lives, especially during this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Merly, for her part, encouraged fellow officers to cooperate and work hard for the attainment of the mission of Audio-Bohol by cascading information from the local government units and national government agencies in Bohol. 

She also formally requested the provincial government of Bohol, through Governor Arthur Yap, who graced the occasion as inducting officer, to provide an office space for Audio-Bohol at the Old Provincial Capitol Building where the Audio-Bohol members can converge and share updates during the monthly meetings, as well as keep records.

Gov. Yap told the information officers that “You are a very important sector to our province in these critical times. Your work is to inform, to educate, to inspire, to raise the people's consciousness on issues, this need not be belabored". 

He expressed gratitude and pride to have been invited to administer the oath of the incoming officers who are tasked to steer the direction of the group that is committed to disseminate news about the development and progress in Bohol. 

The governor also reminded the Audio officers, as development information officers of the province, not to be swayed by news that are fake, unimportant, and has leaning toward discrimination.  

Back in 1999, there used to be two organizations of information officers (IOs) in Bohol: the Bohol Association of Public Information Officers (BAPIO) composed of IOs from the local government units (LGUs); and the Association of Government Public Information Officers (AGPIO) with IOs from the national government agencies (NGAs) as members. 

Then came the time when the two groups were merged to establish what is now known as the Association of United Development Information Officers (Audio) in Bohol committed to cascade developmental information. 

The group has expanded its membership and strengthened itself to become one of the most active, if not the most cohesive group of information officers in Central Visayas. 

One of the many factors of this is the many years of support and guidance of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Bohol serving as convenor, under the guidance of different information center managers. 

For years, the Audio-Bohol has been working in tandem with the PIA-Bohol which is being housed at the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Building at K of Drive, Barangay Poblacion 2, Tagbilaran City.

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