Facebook is not…

As a lecturer at the Development Academy of the Philippines, I made it a point to remind the hundreds of government executives who underwent our Media and Communications module not to rely on Facebook or any other form of social media when promoting their offices, programs or services. Many people in business and especially in government innocently and ignorantly think that when they use social media, the whole country or at least people who have a need from government will search or go to their Facebook account or website. That is a serious mistake that has been fatal for many “public information campaigns” because a Facebook page has very limited range and audience, especially in the Philippines. I know of people who think that thousands upon thousands of people get to see their post which is so not true unless you are a K-pop group, some idiot who shot, abused or hurt someone enough to rile people that they decide to lynch you digitally, or make you an “infamous” celebrity or the village idiot for 2021.

Yes, you could get better results if you pay Facebook to boost your post, if you tweak your reach and audience by writing down a specific criteria or profile. But if you are an office or agency of the Republic of the Philippines, chances are you will reach only a very small segment of your intended target because the bitter truth is that most people who are on Facebook or rely on Facebook are those who have resources and the cash to buy phones or tablets, buy data or have access to the internet. Use of digital devices in the Philippines has not yet been socialized enough to the point of really getting free WiFi access and is generally pay as you go. That being said, the 60 to 70 million Filipinos living in or below the poverty line have more urgent needs to spend their few pesos on. Proof of this is the fact that many students who are now forced to study from home don’t have digital devices or decent tablets and have no internet connection. What use is a device if there is no public access to the internet? The fact that teachers have to stand on rooftops just to get a “signal” is a condemnation of our state of affairs.

Energy experts and statisticians claim that the Philippines is largely electrified or have available electricity, but at what price? Why does a YouTube sensation featuring a young kid doing his homework under a street lamp go viral if electricity were really “available?”

Even for those with means and access, people often search what they need at the moment. Unless their business or situation depends on it, people don’t subscribe or enlist for updates or alerts from a government website or page. In fact, I have heard some people express annoyance with the warnings or alerts for heavy rainfall or typhoons or scams they get courtesy of the telcos and government agencies who issue these public safety reminders. It is often a case of bad design, wrong audience or failed predictions. If such vital communication fails to connect with the intended audience, we can only imagine how many messages and programs are buried in the cemetery of failed communications because some people assumed that social media or Facebook would do the talking for them.

With two years left for the Duterte administration, it is probable that one of the biggest failures of the administration would be in communication. In spite of the presidential spokesman hogging the limelight, the entire government communications program can be summed up as “Kanya Kanya” or To Each his Own.” In spite of the countless press conferences and late night presidential addresses to the nation, it is clear that many of the government’s well-intentioned programs and plans have either been ignored, opposed, misunderstood or failed simply because most of them have been launched, shared or posted or announced “at a moment’s notice” without the traditional consultations and deliberations on how to properly communicate or inform the public.

The “art” or practice of crafting professional communications plans and programs has been thrown out, systems or procedures on who talks, when to talk and matching speakers with topics or programs have been aborted and replaced by “talking heads” of agencies who are primarily the head of task forces, etc., but don’t necessarily have the training and temperament for the job on hand. A number of lawyers and aspiring politicians have taken over and monopolized most of the airtime and popularized themselves in the interest of making themselves highly recognizable and hopefully doing better in upcoming surveys for senators or congressmen.

Last but not the least, government communications fail because officials have failed to listen. Whether it is intentional or simply because they have become too busy and centralized, even people in public office have pointed out that in spite of what experts say, in spite of public reaction, in spite of controversy, many officials of government have simply pushed on or pushed for their projects, ideas or programs only to be stopped by adverse public opinion or a political decision by President Duterte.

Going back to my lectures at the DAP, I would often point out that the most common and grievous mistake of leaders in government, as well as the private sector, is that they assume they know what is right or good for the public. You don’t! You just think you do. Step away from your digital devices and go to the street corner where the tricycle drivers are. Go to the palengke, the public market. That is where the government’s audience is. Speak with them. Listen to them. That is what real communications is all about.

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