Over 400 individuals benefit from services of gov’t info officers in Camarines Norte

By Rosalita Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte --- Over 400 residents have benefited from the information caravan and one-stop shop services organized by the Camarines Norte Communicators Network (CamNorteComNet) at SM City Daet.

“The information caravan is a big help in reducing the expenses of those who need to transact with the government, since almost all agencies are gathered in one place,” said Executive Assistant Engr Victor Zabala of the Provincial Government of Camarines Norte.

Milyn Salo is one of the beneficiaries who patiently lines up at the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) booth—a routine she observes every year on her birthday. For her, it’s more than just paperwork; updating her records means peace of mind, knowing that her survivorship pension will continue without interruption.

“My deceased husband’s pension was transferred to me four years ago, and it’s a big help in my daily expenses because I don’t have a job,” she said.

She expressed her gratitude for the activity, saying that GSIS personnel only visit their Camarines Norte satellite office twice a month. With the caravan, she didn’t have to wait for the next scheduled trip or endure the long journey to Naga City just to process her documents.

“I’m here to get a copy of my National ID. It’s very important for finding a job and for other government transactions,” said Jane Serrano of Jose Panganiban town.

She shared that transactions at the service caravan were much quicker compared to the usual process, which made her especially grateful that the activity was brought closer to them.

CamNorteComNet President Rommel Pajarin, who also serves as an election officer of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), said that the CommNet has been consistently providing services since 2018, even at the height of the pandemic. This latest event marks their 15th service caravan.

He added that activities like this are not limited to the provincial capital, as most services have also reached the nine (9) towns and even several villages across Camarines Norte.

Meanwhile, Rosalita Manlangit, Information Center Manager, explained that the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), as the government’s communication arm, spearheads the creation of CamNorteComNet.

The goal, she said, is to unite government information officers under one mission—to deliver accurate, reliable information and bring essential government programs and services closer to the people.

Aside from PIA, other participating agencies and CommNet members include DICT, DENR-PENRO, CNSC, PAGASA, Provincial Government of Camarines Norte – PIO, DOH, DOLE, SSS, SEC, PSA, PhilHealth, DA, PHILFIDA, COMELEC, DOST, GSIS, BSP, Phil. Red Cross, NCIP, NBI, CDA, CNWD, and BJMP. (PIA 5)