IRIGA CITY --- In its quest to further improve its corporate communication strategies, the University of Northeastern Philippines here has sent its media relations director to attend a two-day media seminar in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia held from March 30-31.
Maria Melody Paraiso-Ordonez, UNEP's media relations director, attended the seminar, primarily to boost the university's effective communication. The activity was designed for senior executives, manager of corporate affairs and external relations, media relations officer, and heads of departments responsible for corporate communications of multinational companies.
UNEP decided to send Ordonez to the international conference to further strengthen its corporate communication program to bolster the university's reputation and credibility as one of the region's leading higher institution of learning.
Among the panel of distinguished speakers during the seminar are Aloysius Yap, senior strategic consultant of the PR Works Corporate Communications, Shameem binti Abdul Jalil, director, corporate communications and business siaison and chairman of ASEAN Public Relations Organization (FAPRO), and Ben Israel of Edelman Digital Lead based in Malaysia.
Ordonez together with other participants of the media seminar are expected to undertake a comprehensive workshop on media relations, recognizing media interactions as a strategic tool in building effective public communication. The objective of this activity is to achieve maximum publication or broadcasting of accurate information in order to create knowledge and foster understanding. It also aims to recognize media relations as a useful and strategic tool on the Public Relations arsenal.
Prior to joining UNEP as its media relations director, Ordonez had already served in key positions of different prominent television networks and various media outlets. In 1991, she worked as production assistant of the Probe Team and became the production coordinator of PTV 4 under Telegem Productions in 1993.
In 1994, she assumed the post of production manager of People's Broadcasting Network (PBN -TV5 ), an affiliate station of ABC 5- Manila. She returned in Manila in 1998 and worked as program director of the Associated Broadcasting Company under its News and Public Affairs Department. In 2004, she moved to IBC 13, producing another program.
Currently, Ms. Ordonez is handling UNEP's media affairs program, reinforcing the university's aggressive dominion in the academic sphere.