THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-South is stepping up its efforts to build a stronger public rapport by introducing the premier edition of its newsletter called "The Southern Echo."
DAR-Negros Occidental II top officials, headed by Officer-In-Charge Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Arnulfo Figueroa, attended the launching of the newsletter during their Management Committee Meeting on Wednesday, November 4.
"Amid the confusion and fear brought by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, DAR-Negros Occidental II continues to innovate and think of alternatives to bring the programs and services of the agency to the public particularly to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs)," Figuerroa said.
The newest education, information and communication material is one of the innovations initiated by the Provincial Communications Group (PCG) headed by Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer I Enrique Paderes.
For his part, Paderes said the newsletter was the additional project of PCG that aims to give first hand information to ARBs and stakeholders about the accomplishments and efforts of the agency especially during this pandemic.
"We want the public to feel our presence during these difficult times by making them aware of the 'whats and hows' of the agency and our efforts to reach and provide them with immediate assistance," he added.
Paderes said "The Southern Echo" is the official name of the agency's newsletter while its award-winning news magazine would still be known as "Titulo Dos."
The official emphasized that "The Southern Echo" was coined from the words "southern" referring to their area of jurisdiction in terms of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp)-implementation, and "echo" which means a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener.
In short, the word echo simply means the voice of DAR-Negros Occidental II, he added.
Aside from the newsletter and news magazine, the agency also launched in July its alternative training module dubbed "Arbold Komiks" which has benefited almost 5,000 ARBs and ARB organizations in southern Negros Occidental.