Social Media Management in Local Governance spearheaded by Miss Pamela Geminiano

Last September 30, Ms. Pamela Mariz Geminiano, a DILG Information Officer III in CAR, gave us, communication practitioners, an extremely important discussion about how we could successfully manage our social media by abiding by the netiquette that is in place. 

During her first minutes, she asked why are people used or in social media? I stop on track as I tries to ask myself, except for communication for loved ones, why am I always in social media? Then, there I realized that social media plays a pivotal role in every individual in today’s generation. A question that I asked myself, “Can I live without mobile phone, internet and social media”? 

One of the most significant channels for the dissemination of information nowadays is social media. Well, it truly has the effect of allowing us to use it without having to make an effort to get a physical newspaper for daily news since it enables us to just browse through our newsfeed and, with just one click, stay up to date with the most recent events taking place in our community. 

I've always been intrigued in how the government maintains a professional and secure environment for all social media users, and through Ms. Geminiano's talk, I was able to learn more about how one should behave, particularly users who greatly contribute to the dissemination of information. They should have the courage and stigma to release information that won't trigger or affect general principles, won't cause a stir, and won't spread false information that could cause misunderstandings. 

Ms. Geminiano stated that adhering to netiquette and being able to gain the confidence of an article's intended audience are necessary for one to do media practice effectively. Building or increasing public trust requires us to uphold transparency, wherein evidence such as liquidation must be made available to the public when an issue arises. Crisis communication requires that we be able to choose who to contact when we have concerns. Engagement, the means through which the public may express their queries or concerns. Lastly but not least, a practitioner should be prepared to take criticism if the information had errors. Credibility is the most important attribute an organization or person must have if they want their constituents to continue believing the information they provide with them. 

Finally, I'd want to go over the question of whether or not I could survive without my mobile phone, internet, and social media. My response is a resounding "no", not just because I need my phone to stay in touch with my loved ones, but also because it has played such a significant role in my everyday life that I can't imagine surviving without it. Todays’ generation, if we are a bit late with the trends or latest happenings in social media, it is as if we were already living in another generation or another world.

We, the BA Communication - 2 students of the Digital Publishing subject under the class of Professor Malen Catajan, extends our heartfelt gratitude to Miss Pamela Geminiano for her valuable and timely insights and expertise in teaching us how to effectively manage our social media. Her seminar has greatly provided us with  knowledge that we can apply in our academic and professional endeavors. Thank you, Miss Geminiano, for sharing words of wisdom and deepening our understanding of todays digital world.