17th National Public Relations CongressSECRETARY Herminio Coloma of the Presidential Communications and Operations Office challenged over 200 delegates to the 17th National Public Relations Congress to help build the nation by living the congress theme, “PR2.0: Build. Engage. Deliver.”

In his keynote address, Coloma presented two case studies on the use of digital technology on the internet to engage citizens, one catapulting President Benigno S. Aquino III to electoral victory and the other serving as a mechanism for feedback as he governs the country.

“You are all exceptionally gifted and strategically positioned in your organizations. What can you do to make our country a country we can all be proud of,” Coloma asked his audience as he concluded his presentation.

The two-day conference organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) showcased best practices using the internet to promote causes, sell products and gain advocates or customers.

Weber Shandwick Asia Pacific chairman Tim Sutton stressed the need for offline activities to match online activities to provide effective support and earn credibility for any organization. “There must be consistency. Online without offline is not in line with best practice,” he said.

The Philippine Star columnist and Lopez Group consultant Boo Chanco, meanwhile, said he embraced new media for the convenience and facility they bring to his work as a journalist. Although he called social media double-edged, that is, presenting both an advantage and a danger, Chanco said, “politicians and business executives…ignore the digital world only at their peril.”

Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide managing and Southeast Asia director Andrew Thomas proposed to change the 4 Ps of the marketing mix to 4 Es or from product to experience, place to every place, price to exchange, and promotion to evangelism.

Yes! Magazine editor Jo-Ann Maglipon and broadcast journalists Grace dela Peña of GMA Network Inc. and DJ Sta. Ana of TV5 shared their strategies for coping with the new 24/7 news media cycle.

Meanwhile, the PRSP conferred accreditation on five members: Dulce Festin-Baybay of Lopez Group Foundation Inc. (LGFI); Anna Gizelle Camua of Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation; Lourdes de Guzman of CF Philippines; Catherine Salceda Ileto of Bang PR Philippines; and Jorge Miguel Marco of Ayala Land Inc .

John Rojo, APR of Bayan Telecommunications Inc. chaired the 2010 PR Congress. Lending support were Rosan Cruz, APR of Lopez Holdings Corporation and Bong Osorio of ABS-CBN Corporation as part of the 20-member PR Congress committee.

Delegates of the Lopez Group were Jay Lopez, Nicole Carlos and Hazel Velasco of First Philippine Holdings Corporation; Angela Lopez-Guingona and Festin-Baybay of LGFI; Vienn Tionglico and Aissa Rivera of Rockwell Land Corporation; Freya Santos and Caloy Campos of Bayan; Kane Choa of ABS-CBN; Carla Paras-Sison, APR and Lucy Torres of Lopez Holdings; and Joel Gaborni of First Gen Corporation.