THE TEAM BEHIND LinkOD
Wishful thinking. This was how LinkOD began. In 2009, the CRIOD had proposed to Management the conduct of a 3-day Training-Workshop on News Writing for its ComRel key staff and select NHA beneficiaries. The proposal was borne out of the CRIOD's desire of reutilizing the community newspaper as an information-motivation tool to carry-out and sustain the NHA-community partnership and equipping its AMO Program and operations staff in producing and managing said print medium in reaching NHA beneficiaries. The product of the training was to be a pilot issue of a community newspaper similar to PINTIG, which the CRIOD had produced and published in the late 70's to the mid-80's.
The proposal had reached first base. AGM Froilan Kampitan had even recommended that CRIOD expand the training objectives to emphasize the use of communication as a strategy for development. However, the national elections had taken place and a new management team came into NHA. CRIOD had to rethink its training proposal in the light of cost reduction measures that were instituted.
Tasked with ensuring that NHA beneficiaries have a clear understanding of the Authority's policies, programs and services, CRIOD has been aware that information, news and latest developments could be searched from NHA's official website. CRIOD Manager Ivanswenda Marquez had encouraged the Program Planning and Review and Division (PPRD) to think of creative ways of revitalizing NHA's Community Information and Motivation Program. With the easy access to the internet, PPRD Officer-in-Charge Ana Baul toyed with the idea of using the internet because it offers a faster and cheaper means of communication and reaches a wider base of information users. With many internet users into Facebook (FB), she wondered if CRIOD could use FB as a take-off site for the exchange of communication with and among NHA project beneficiaries.
How this could be made possible when FB was blocked in NHA's internet system was something that had to be explored with the Corporate Operations and Systems Office (COSO) as NHA's information technology (IT) administrator. CRIOD Artist Chie Estrella had already made a graphic study and conceptualized the banner for the proposed newspaper, initially naming it HALIGI NG CRIOD.
The CRIOD-PPRD Community Information team got excited when then COSO Director Red Faustino assured them during their consultation that publishing the proposed online newspaper could be done by linking it to the NHA official website. Director Faustino appreciated CRIOD's proactive stance in delivering news and updates to the community. There and then, she asked the Information Division management to join the CRIOD-COSO discussion, their division being the website content administrator.
Thus in February 2011, CRIOD submitted to Management a new proposal for the publication of LinkOD, NHA's online community newspaper. PPRD staff Fernando Mojica helped in coming-up with the newspaper's name. Link because the online newspaper is envisioned to be NHA's ready link or lifeline with NHA communities and their stakeholders. And OD because the NHA hopes to capture the essence of organizational development to improve the quality of life of its beneficiaries and grow as an agency, developing and improving its programs, projects, systems and procedures.
CRIOD's wishful thinking came into fruition. Working closely with Community Relations (ComRel) teams to solicit NHA beneficiaries' contribution of their community news and stories, literary pieces, graphics and artwork, LinKOD's maiden issue was published and posted in May 2011. CRIOD also partnered with the COSO for the issue's final presentation in the website.
This issue is the third since LinkOD's website posting. With more NHA beneficiaries becoming part of the pool of writers and artists, CRIOD hopes that LinKOD shall eventually become interactive, a venue for them to express their opinions, sentiments and recommendations to the NHA.
A Blessed and Happy New Year!