Communication Enhancement Program (CEP):
Continuously empowering the PLM community
through a healthy flow of communication and information
Before 2009, information dissemination was very scant and old-school. Knowledge of matters of great interest to the PLM community is very miniscule, if not nil. Further, urgent announcements like suspension of classes due to storms or inclement weathers, despite having been announced even at early dawn, could be known only to each PLM scholar upon arrival at the campus, through makeshift placards crudely prepared and hurriedly pasted, only to come back home after that.
Since 2009, positive strides in improving the communication flow were achieved to the escalating advantage of the PLM stakeholders.
Rebirth of the Official PLM Website
On 19 April 2009, the official PLM website was officially uploaded and subsequently was formally launched on 19 June as one of the highlights of the 44th Foundation Day -- a feat that generated worldwide acclamation -- scholars from local roots and alumni from global fronts. Aside from serving as the official digital public face of PLM and for immortalizing PLM's institutional memory and its landmark achievements towards academic excellence, it posted urgent announcements, including the suspension of the first week of classes due to the fatal SARS worldwide pandemic and the rapid succession of the onslaught of inclement weathers, among many others. Such announcements were timely relayed by concerned others through various blogs and the increasingly popular personal FaceBook pages.
Mobile gateway (Official PLM InfoBoard) for the Official PLM SIM cards
Initially announced publicly by the University President during the above formal launching of the official PLM website and the new official PLM Seal, the joint launch of the official PLM InfoBoard and the distribution of the official PLM SIM were likewise timely. On 26 September, the unassuming terror of wrongly-forecasted Ondoy’s devastation suddenly broke loose. Before the catastrophic situation got worse, the suspension of classes and staff works was instantly broadcasted also thru said mobile gateway. The storm battered the metropolis and caused widespread blackout. While the ensuing critical advisories by PLM were available on-line through its official website, the mobile InfoBoard was found as the only practical medium under the tragic situation of a powerless metropolis, where cell sites had a minimum of 8-hour extended uptime through UPSs and/or generators. As a result, more scholars availed of the joint PLM SIM and InfoBoard services when classes resumed. Shortly thereafter, there came Pepeng and more tropical disturbances, and the PLM scholars and employees were aptly informed of PLM’s advisories right at the comfort of their homes. Since then, online web and mobile media were inseparable twin and hand-in-hand in fully apprising the public at their full convenience, with or without electricity, or even while reeling from the aftermath of natural calamities.
Official FB Page of PLM
In early January 2011, within a month after its Presidential approval by Atty. Rafaeilito M. Garayblas on recommendation of the Executive Vice President (Atty. Gladys France J. Palarca), a third medium blazed on-line: the official FaceBook fan page of PLM in a social medium platform. This enabled PLM to directly touchbase with its important stakeholders, and to blast off news flash and similar advisories directly to their FB news feeds. Quoting usually from the official PLM website, such essential announcements and newsbits were timely posted in a 24 x 7 fashion. Queries and concerns from the public were replied to even at the wee hours of dawn or up to the outskirts of the morning. There is no holiday nor day-off nor break. No disaster had ever hampered PLM from urgently replying to queries or posting advisories. With its constant presence, PLM is always there whenever and wherever you need enlightenment and elucidation.
Institutionalized integration of CEP media tools
Meanwhile, to strengthen the institutionalization of the Official CEP Media as a priority development policy framework, other earlier development initiatives were integrated with the more recent media tools through an authority granted by the President upon the recommendation of the Executive Vice President (EVP). The institutionalized integration of the CEP media tools included the official web media (Official PLM Website, Official FB page of PLM, Official PLM email), the official mobile media (Official PLM InfoBoard, Official CEP Mobile Media), and the official creative multimedia (Official PLM-AV system, and the Infomercial Digital Videowalls).
In the last four (4) years, a long spate of official approvals were issued to translate the institutionalization of this Program into a well-preserved convention, thereby enabling it to become a ubiquitous frontline service of the University with a distinguishable 24x7 continuous service regimen as a direct medium of the Univesity with its various stakeholders all over the globe, and vice-versa. Among others was the EVP’s approval in February 2011 where new services and expanded benefits were strengthened and institutionalized into the core fabric of PLM’s operations -- and made available or offered to the various stakeholders of PLM -- to the full advantage of the entire PLM community.
Mobile media Textcast (augmenting the official PLM InfoBoard)
Broadcasting urgent announcements through mobile media has since been in service in PLM even prior to the advent of the official PLM website in April 2009 and the other official CEP media tools. In fact, it was the earliest and long-standing medium for the CEP Program Manager to blast off announcements, which started in 2005, initially to the vice-presidents, directors, deans and chiefs, as a Presidential communication medium with his official family. The recipient-base has since rapidly expanded to cover most of the employees, faculty members and scholars (student leaders) as special node points for further cascading forward all essential advisories to their respective constituents. This strategic alliance protocol aims to systematically cover the entirety of the PLM community in our mobile textcasts.
On 24 June 2011, a Sun SIM was published as its first mobile number and was immediately used to broadcast on even date the first urgent announcement of class suspension to those who have registered since morning. On 02 August, upon insistent public demand, Globe and Smart SIMs were likewise published to augment the current mobile media. On its first day alone, more than a hundred have registered to avail of this new tool for communication enhancement program.
The coming in of the multi-module PLM InfoBoard and the official PLM SIMs in Sep 2009 has expanded exponentially the recipient-base for instant delivery of institutional information, usual official advisories and urgent announcements, intending to cover the entire PLM community, with the premium of even the regular scholars themselves directly connected to PLM. The InfoBoard is designed to be the flagship mobile tool of the Official CEP Media of PLM. Unlike the other mobile media which utilize the network services in a serial mode of sending, it has the capability of simultaneously broadcasting a SMS to all thousands of recipients in a split second. This is a critical capability that spells a big difference during times of emergencies like inclement weather and other disastrous events.
To ensure that the institutional messages are delivered to the PLM community, the Official CEP Media has embarked on a great deal of effort to keep its contacts database fresh and updated. A periodic, massive and institutional-wide updating is usually conducted, for the staff and faculty on one occasion, and the thousands of scholars on the other. Starting with the EVP's formal approval of Memo ITC-12-0228-01, in recognition of the critical importance of the Official CEP Media in the life of the University, this process has matured into a perpetual well-preserved convention with the formal approval of Memo ITC-13-0416-01. This was subsequently followed by the President's formal approval of Memo ITC-14-0526-01 and the adjunct issuance of Memo Circular No. MC-14-0527-01.
A Perfect Synergy
The various CEP media tools complement each other well which, when deployed altogether as is normally done, create a well-rounded set of tools that perfectly mesh and weave together so as to reach out to the various stakeholders of the University -- systematically covering the entirety of the vast PLM community -- in a flash.
Prospects for the Future
With the positive trend in enhancing the communication flow within and even outside of the PLM community, and barring unforeseen circumstances, the important stakeholders of PLM are well-assured that further enhancements will characterize the Community Enhancement Program in the days to come. This augurs well as a clear testament and manifestation of PLM, a public institution with a caring character, as a trustworthy university with high commitment to transparency, accountability and service excellence.
And one last comforting assurance for everyone: the Official CEP Media of PLM is open to serve the public best on a 24x7 fashion.
That has been our distinguishable mark. That remains to be our unmistakable character. That will always be our enduring commitment. :)
See also:
Kind Words of Inspiration from PLM's fan base »
Communication Enhancement Program: Continuously empowering the PLM community »
Back to Top