(By Jones T. Campos, APR)
THE 55TH Anvil Awards of 2019 goes down in the Public Relations Society of Philippines’ (PRSP) history as the most participated Anvil Awards with more than 500 entries of PR Programs and Tools. My 
reckoning date is 2004, during the Ruby Year of the PR Society, where there were only 135 entries. That year was also a turning point in the PR Society. We were confronted with a disruptive “rogue faction” – who were not supported by the entire well-meaning corporate and individual members of the organization – and we prevailed. Fifteen years later, today, the Anvil Awards prides itself as the ultimate awarding body in Philippine PR and provides the bench mark of PR excellence in the industry and profession. It is backed up by veteran PR professionals who are staunch and loyal stewards of competent and ethical PR practice.
In this Age of Information, real, truthful and persuasive communication have become a “luxury.” If one is not careful and on guard, chances are we become victims of disinformation or fake news. The PR Society therefore is vigilant especially in determining what is authentic and beneficial for societal consumption.
The PR practitioner’s main function remains basically the same which is “doing good and telling it well.” It is heavy on human relations, whether we talk about traditional or non-traditional; new-media or digital means. The improvement lies in the pervasiveness of the Internet, where doing things have become more “sophisticated, fast and reliable.” Because of this, those of us in PR have become more creative and grounded delivering relevant social responsibility programs designed to alleviate immediate needs and concerns relevant to nation-building or in the upliftment of social conditions.
Today, more companies have shifted their PR involvement, not by dole outs, but towards engaging target publics. Among the stand-outs in this year’s edition of the Anvils include: on sustainable livelihood program (Baslay Coffee/EDC/Page One); education/literacy (STI/Page One; Learn Smart Apps/Smart Communications); international community relations (Mission Phils./BusinessMirror); consumer healthcare (Philcare Healthcards/CommSense); advocacy campaign (Outstanding Filipinos/Metrobank Foundation); financial literacy (Kaakbay Sunlife Phils.; How to be Rich Po/BPI); road safety campaign (Kaligtasan sa Daan/NLEX Corp.); internal communication (Happy Here Campaign/Telus Intl. Phils.); crisis-risk communication (Meralco Electric Co.); culture, heritage, tourism (Iloilo of Contemporary Art/Megaworld Corp.); on entrepreneurship (Digital Farmers/Smart communications); and care for the environment (Binhi/EDC).
The perennial “scorecard reporting” through annual reports and sustainability initiatives continue (Ayala Land; PLDT). While the big winners in PR tools are the coffee table books of The Manila Jockey Club (The Front Runner/Media Wise Communications) and Victorias Milling’s 100th Year. The PLDT-Smart Gabay Guro 12th Anniversary Grand Gathering is also a big winner on the digital category.
What is very observable nowadays and It has become SOP is monitoring and measurement of PR effectiveness of PR programs and tools.
Thus, more often than not, these are no longer totally reflected as “cost” in the organization. Instead, PR programs have become enablers or enhancers of the company reputation that bring about goodwill and corporate inspiration, apart from being a marketing tool; as such, are tangible component of a company’s triple bottom line.
In my more than three decades of being involved in the PRSP, especially with the Anvil or the PR Congress, I have witnessed and proven that PR is the heart and soul of a caring organization. In fact, doing sustainable PR programs that involve its employees and managers strengthens and builds the team to be more productive as everybody is encouraged to be volunteers. There is that feeling that when one is out there in the field serving and doing Brigada Eskwela or tree planting, or on a medical mission, or donating blood, or doing relief operation in calamity-stricken areas – one can only empathize and be fulfilled in doing such missions.
ACTUALLY, BUILDING A BETTER WORLD.
In the words of Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas, (ICYMI) who passed away recently, he had wished during his last birthday: “A world where weapons, big and small, are symbols of weakness, not strength. A world where religion informs values, not governments. A world where the air is breathable, the water drinkable and the food is healthy and plentiful. A world where poor people are the smallest percentage of the population. A world where education and health care are available to everyone. A world where prejudice based on race, religion and nationality is non-existent. A world where smoking tobacco is considered a ridiculous practice by a bygone era. A world where all diseases are curable and physical pain is no longer a part of life. A world where we control technology, not the other way around. And a world where greed is never considered good (at all).”
Thus, a better world through public relations.
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