September is Public Relations Month
President Gloria Macapagal--Arroyo has declared the month of September of every year as "Public Relations Month" in recognition of the public relations profession and industry as a major contributor to national development and the socioeconomic well-being of the country.
The declaration is embodied in Proclamation No. 1357 to generate interest and awareness among the general public of the crucial role of public relations.
Public relations is a management function that creates develops, and carries out policies and programs to influence public opinion or public reaction about an idea, a product, or an organization, defined an Encarta Encyclopedia.
The field of public relations includes advertising, publicity, promotional activities, and press contact. Public relations also coexists in business with marketing and merchandising to create the climate in which all selling functions occur.
Meanwhile, the President also declared September 12 of this year as a National Day of Prayer and reconciliation to promote peace and unity among Filipinos and thereby sustain national development and progress.
In Proclamation No. 1362 she signed last Aug. 15, the President cited the importance of the day in order to attain the national goals.
The President noted it is time to make "a reaffirmation of our commitment to this goal through personal reflection, change in attitudes, and solidarity for the public welfare and the development of our country."
She said the goal of peace and unity has, all too often, lost its relevance in a nation that is "beset by hostility, bitterness, constant conflict and too much politics."
The President said that what is needed in a country facing several challenges is the steadfast devotion of every Filipino to work for the common good and for the betterment of the country.
(PIA)