45th Anvil Awards deadline extended to November 6

The Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) announced the extension of the deadline for the submission of entries to the 45th Anvil Awards from October 31 to November 6, 2009.

Anvil Awards Committee chair Eduardo S. Alcaraz, APR said PRSP acceded to numerous requests from companies who are joining in this year’s awards.

The Anvil has been equated with excellence in the local public relations (PR) practice as exemplary corporate PR programs and outstanding PR tools are recognized. PRSP has been giving such recognition for over four decades now.

Partnering with PRSP for the 45th Anvil Awards are: Adobo Magazine, BusinessMirror, BusinessWorld, Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and The Philippine Star.

Call the PRSP Secretariat at 638 0010 or 638 0012, email anvil@prsp.ph or prsociety.prsp@yahoo.com, or log on to www.prsp.ph for entry forms and other details about the Anvil Awards.

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PRSP holds successful Digital PR seminar

The Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) successfully held part one of its Digital PR seminars at the InterContinental Manila on September 25, 2009.

Gurus in the field of Digital PR discussed and shared the various aspects of online reputation management, the online media and how these are important part of campaigns and strategy and help build brands and relationships with stakeholders. Topics and speakers were “The Philippine Digital Landscape: An Assessment” with Jay Bautista, Nielsen Media Research; “How to use Digital PR Tools Effectively” with Mike Palacios, Havoc Digital; “Effective Online PR with Bloggers” with Janette Toral, http://www.digitalfilipino/; “Digital PR the Yahoo Way” with Reggie Velasco, Yellow Brick Road (Yahoo) and workshop facilitators Donald Patrick Lim and Elaine Uy Yehey! Corporation.

Part two of the seminar will be on October 16 also at the InterContinental Manila, Makati City. Speakers and topics to be taken up are: “Digital PR Techniques for Politics” with Paulo Pangan, Serve Digital;” Viral Marketing Techniques for Online WOM” with Donald Patrick Lim and Elaine Uy, Yehey! Corporation; “Using Google Search for Online PR” with Aileen Apolo, Google; “Using Online Communities for Digital PR” with Crisela Magpayo-Cervantes, Multiply & ABS-CBN Interactive; “Using Social Networks for PR with Narciso Reyes, Friendster; “Using Mobile Marketing for Digital PR” with Hans Roxas-Chua, BlueBlade Technologies; and Donald Patrick Lim and Elaine Uy, Yehey! Corporation will facilitate the second workshop.

Registration fees: member –P3,000; non-member –P4,000; student –P2,000. For details, call 638-0010/ 638-0012 or email prsociety.prsp@yahoo.com or visit http://www.prsp.ph/ or blogspot http://prsociety-philippines.blogspot.com.

Photo shows Digital PR Day 1 participants with (seated from left) speakers Mike Palacios and Jay Bautista; former PRSP president Max Edralin, APR; workshop facilitator Elaine Uy; and speakers Janette Toral and Reggie Velasco. Also in photo are (standing beside Velasco) Ritzi Ronquillo, APR, PRSP director and chair, Professional Development Committee and (standing second from the rightmost) Jojo Ajero, session chair of the first and second Professional Development Seminars, 2009 Learning Series.

Deadline for Anvil entries on October 31

The 45th Anvil Awards is on, and the search for this year’s outstanding public relations programs and equally outstanding PR tools has begun.

In a letter to members, Public Relations Society of the Philippines president Butch Raquel, APR and 45th Anvil Awards Committee chairperson Eduardo S. Alcaraz, APR invited the submission of Anvil nominations in any of the following categories:

1. Public Relations Programs – on a sustained basis
a. Arts & Culture/Heritage/Tourism
b. Youth/Children's Welfare
c. Consumer Welfare/Gender Rights
d. Community Development (Urban/Rural)
e. Education
f. Entrepreneurship/Job Generation
g. Good Governance/Responsible Citizenship
h. Sports & Recreation
i. Sustainable Development/Science & Technology/Environment
j. Others

2. Specialized Public Relations Projects - one time basis
a. Corporate Identity Program
b. Crisis/Disaster & Risk Communications
c. Others

3. Public Relations Programs directed at Specific Stakeholder
a. Customers
b. Employees and/or their Families
c. Host Community/Indigenous People
d. Special Interest Groups

4. Public Relations Tools
a. Publications - hard copy/printed format
(1) Annual reports
(2) Internal publications – newsletters,
magazines, poster, etc.
(3) External publications – brochures,
calendars, flyers, etc.
(4) Special/One time publications –
coffeetable book, historical
publication, etc.
b. Multimedia - soft copy/paperless format
(1) Audio-visual presentations
(2) Electronic news/infomercials
(3) Documentaries
c. Social/New/Viral Media
(Networking Sites)
(1) Facebook
(2) Blogs
(3) Websites
(4) Others
d. Exhibitions
e. Special Events

Any public relations program or tool implemented from October 1, 2008 to October 31, 2009 is eligible for the Anvil Awards. Companies may nominate their outstanding programs or tools, or both. Nominations may be made by the project proponent or a third party beneficiary. Deadline for the submission of entries is on October 31, 2009.

Entries must be submitted to:
The Anvil Awards Committee
c/o The PRSP Secretariat
20-B San Mateo Street
Barrio Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Tel. No. +632 638 0010
Telefax +632 638 0012
Email prsociety@prsp.ph or
anvil.prsp@yahoo.com
Website http://www.prsp.ph/

Entry Fee is P6,000 per entry for PRSP members, P6,500 for government agencies, and P7,000 for others.

Please make checks payable to:
Public Relations Society of the Philippines

For entry forms or queries on the Anvil, please call the Secretariat care of Ruth at telephone numbers 638-0010 and 638-0012 or send your e-mail to publicrelations.prsp@yahoo.com or anvil.prsp@yahoo.com.

Day 2 of DIGITAL PR SEMINAR RESET TO OCT. 16

The Professional Development Seminar on "A Whole New World of Digital PR", initially scheduled by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) for this Friday, October 2, will be held instead on October 16, Friday at the same venue, Intercontinental Hotel, Makati City, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This is in deference to the ongoing rescue and relief work in the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy in which PRSP members and other PR practitioners are involved. For inquiries, please call telefax 6380012 or 638-0010. Or email publicrelations.prsp@yahoo.com.

A Whole New World of Digital PR

Your clients, customers and constituents are out there. Are you?
We’re talking digital PR. Search engines, social networks, online, mobile. What is digital PR?
How can it build your brand and relationships, engage customers and stakeholders and make your name and reputation positively top of mind? Should you use it in your next campaign? No matter what field you’re in, these LEARNINGS are a MUST KNOW! Sign up now !

A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF DIGITAL PR

Session 1 - Friday, September 25, 2009, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., InterContinental Hotel Manila, Makati City
The Philippine Digital Landscape: An Assessment – JAY BAUTISTA, The Nielsen Company Philippines
How to use Digital PR Tools Effectively – MIKE PALACIOS, Havoc Digital
Effective Online PR with Bloggers – JANETTE TORAL, www.digitalfilipino.com
Using Mobile Marketing for Digital PR – JOJIT ALCAZAR, Wolfpac & Smart
Digital PR the Yahoo Way – REGGIE VELASCO, Yellow Brick Road Philippines (Yahoo)
Workshop - BIANCA GREY, Havoc Digital

Session 2 - Friday, October 2, 2009, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., InterContinental Hotel Manila, Makati City
Digital PR Techniques for Politics - To be announced
Viral Marketing Techniques for Online WOM - ED MAPA, Media Contacts Digital
Using Google Search for Online PR - AILEEN APOLO, Google
Using Online Communities for Digital PR - CRISELDA MAGPAYO-CERVANTES, Multiply & ABS-CBN Interactive
Using Social Networks for PR - NARCISO REYES, Friendster
Workshop - To be announced

RESERVE YOUR SEATS AT:
PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF THE PHILIPPINES
No.20-B San Mateo Street, Barrio Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Tel.No.: 638-0010 Telefax 638-0012
Email: prsociety04@yahoo.com or prsociety@prsp.ph
Ask for RUTH OR MAAN

RATES
DISCOUNTED RATE FOR 2 DAYS: PRSP Members - P6,000. Non-Members - P7,000
ONE DAY ONLY: PRSP Members - P3,000. Non-Members - P4,000
STUDENTS (with ID): P2,000 (per day)

Lopez Group execs are new APRs

The Public Relations Society of the Philippines, led by its president Butch S. Raquel, APR (left) recently conferred on (from left) Rosan Cruz, AVP, Group PR, Benpres Holdings Corporation; John Rojo, VP, corporate brand and communication, Bayan Telecommunications; and Carla Paras-Sison, senior manager, corporate communications, Benpres Holdings Corporation the status of accredited public relations (APR) professionals. After meticulous and discreet screening, the three Lopez Group executives passed the written and oral examinations given by the 2009 Accreditation Board chaired by Atty. Melvyn Martin, APR. PRSP’s accreditation program forms part of the Society’s efforts to raise the professional standards and impose ethical practice of PR locally.

PR can help change the Philippines

Ateneo de Manila University president Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ, invited Public Relations professionals gathered for the 16th National PR Congress to work together to bring about change in the country.

In his keynote speech at the event organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines, Nebres told story after story of lessons learned in Ateneo's 150 years as a university advocating social reform and nation building.

He said the university has found that closing the poverty gap could be achieved if virtuous leaders are able to translate their vision of a better society into making key social institutions work the way they should to help the less privileged.

Nebres cited the example of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija mayor Sonia Lorenzo who was able to convert her town from a fourth class municipality (revenues of P2 million) to a second class municipality (revenues of P16 million) by strengthening public education and improving access to public health services.

As PR professionals, Nebres challenged his audience to be dreamweavers, to tell stories that will give hope and allow people to dream of a better situation for themselves.

A study of countries that came out of poverty in the last few decades found that leaders of these countries, when they were children, read many stories about courage, hard work, and overcoming adversity to achieve success.

"In the Philippines, much of success is still associated with swerte (luck). That is a popular belief, but luck is out of our control. Rather, let us follow the example of China where success is associated with hard work. Hard work is under our control, but society must be set up to reward hard work," Nebres said.

According to him, the elements for success are as follows: leadership where reforms brings concrete results;an engaged community or people; and transformation in the community or people.

And since all social change or transformation requires good and effective communication, PR professionals are key players.

"Leaders see their vision of the future, followers see what they are giving up. They must communicate to find common ground," he said.

"Change comes when institutions work to meet the basic needs of the people--institutions such as the school system, the health system, the job system. They work when they reward hard work instead of patronage. They work if they can show people that they can fulfill their dreams," Nebres added.

Knowing this, PR practitioners should start telling their stories and show leaders and followers how they can cooperate to achieve what needs to be done. -Carla Paras-Sison, APR

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