THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE UPLB COLLEGE …il.pdf · surfaced the different voices of the fisherfolk affected by mining ... • Jasmin Joyce P. Sevilla ... Roman Catholic Sisters

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CDC holds testimonial for Class of 2016The College of Development Communication (CDC) held a Testimonial and Recognition Program for the Class of 2016 on June 23 at the Umali Auditorium, SEARCA.The Class of 2016 from CDC was composed of 124 BS, 8 MS, and 3 PhD students. Sixty-six (66) of the graduating BSDC students came from the first batch of the Generalist Curriculum.Arron Lucius B. Herbon received the Nora C. Quebral Medal for Scholarship in Development Communication for earning the highest general weighted average (1.515) among the graduating BSDC students. Eighteen (18) students will be graduating cum laude (GWA 1.75-1.46):

Herbon leads CDC Class of 2016; Amoyan bags best undergraduate thesis awardArron Lucius B. Herbon and Christele J. Amoyan are among the two exceptional BSDC students recognized during the CDC Testimonial and Recognition Program on June 23.Herbon earned the highest general weighted average (1.515) while Amoyan’s thesis was judged the best undergraduate thesis.A fight against mediocrity“This is a product of mistakes and failures.”Arron Lucius Herbon, or simply Ron, describes his feat as unexpected and overwhelming.Herbon admits that he was not always the achiever type. He used to be contented with mediocre work when he was in high school, but he realized that he had to do better in college. “You don’t go for the mediocre. Hindi puwede yung puwede na. You have to do your best,” he says. To do this, two of

Ron’s secrets are keeping a schedule and having reminders. He shares that he even made his class schedule and reminders his desktop background.After graduation, Ron plans to work in the agriculture sector, saying there are a lot of technolgies and innovations in agriculture that need to be communicated.Going beyond the usualRelieved. This is how Christele Amoyan described how she felt upon learning that her thesis was judged the CDC Faculty Best Undergraduate Research. Amoyan’s research entitled “Diyalogo sa Tambak: Paghahanap sa Boses ng mga Maliliit na Mangingisda sa Look ng Calancan” sent her back to her hometown in Marinduque where she surfaced the different voices of the fisherfolk affected by mining issues.

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THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE UPLB COLLEGE OF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION JUNE 2016Vol. 8, No. 6

This year’s recipient of the CDC Faculty Best Undergraduate Research was Christele J. Amoyan, whose thesis was about finding the voice of the fisherfolk from Marinduque who are facing issues in mining. Zarrel Gel M. Noza received the UPLB Alumni Association Leadership Award(EVPadilla)

• Arron Lucius B. Herbon• Remsce A. Pasahol• Krizelda Grace G. Sasi• Zarrel Gel M. Noza• Elsie E. Reyes• Pamela V. Carbungco• Christjohn Reyniel B. Pelejo• Alyanna Marie T. Manalang• John Miko R. Ofalsa• Christian T. Rieza

• Jamie Joie P. Malingan• Caress L. Tolentino• Rica Mae B. Valencia• Cindy Love E. Falcutila• Ellaisa Ruth B. Veluz• Ma. Alyssa Bianca A.

Caugma• Paolo G. Carreon• Jasmin Joyce P. Sevilla

With a general weighted average of 1.515, Arron Lucius B. Herbon is CDC’s top graduate.

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Custodio chairs ICA paper session in Fukuoka Dr. Pamela A. Custodio, assistant professor from the Department of Development Journalism, served as chair of a paper session in the recently concluded 66th Annual Conference of International Communication Association (ICA) held at the Fukuoka Sea Hawk Hilton Hotel, June 9-13.

Duday Caballero:On being a devcom practitioner“Naisip ko dati, madali lang ang DevCom.”But she was proven wrong. After taking her DEVC 10 (Introduction to Development Communication), Lourdes Margarita Caballero realized that there was more to DevCom than the different social realities students like her were exposed to. As she took up higher courses, she realized that there was a lot more to learn. Now that she is already working in the development sector, it is her time to share her experiences and learnings to her fellow development communicators as she was the keynote speaker for this year’s CDC Testimonial and Recognition Program.Beginnings in DevComCaballero admits that taking up Development Communication was not her original plan. She initially intended to take up Broadcast Communication in Diliman, but she was not able to make it to the cut. It was her mother who suggested her to choose DevCom.During her DEVC 10 days, she had a different impression about development communication. She thought that it was more about “sharing”. But other DEVC subjects taught her that there are necessary skills to be learned to be an effective development communicator. Early on, she already figured out that DevCom was the course for her. She chose between Science Communication and Development Journalism as her major, but eventually pursued DevJourn because she wanted to develop “solid writing skills” that could be useful in any field. Aside from being busy with academics, she also joined UP SIBOL and the UP Alliance of Development Communication

Students (UPADS), volunteered for UPLB Pahinungod, and worked as a student assistant. Doing DevCom work in the “real world”“Malaking tulong talaga ‘yung DevCom, kasi ‘yung mga inapplyan ko ng trabaho, nangangailangan talaga sila ng mga development communicator. ‘Yung may communication at technical skills,” Ms. Caballero adds.She emphasized the importance of the technical and social science electives in doing DevCom work in the future. She said that these electives are important preparations needed in work. She also shared some of her experiences at work, in which she said that there is a difference between work in a communication unit and a project involving many other specialists. She said that in working in a communication unit, people are more likely to understand where you are coming from, if you are a development communicator. But in a project, there may only be one or two development communicators which makes it more challenging because it makes you the representative of the discipline in that particular work involving other specialists. “Sa simula, mayroong mga di masyadong makakaintindi kung ano ‘yung DevCom work. Ang nakikita nila sa atin ay taga-gawa ng brochure, taga-gawa ng video at ng iba pang materials. Pero makikita mo along the way at malalaman mo din through experience na ‘yung

material development ay enough to make a DevCom professional because it undergoes a process,” she said.Message to the graduates“The important thing to learn is that communication is a process”, she added.She said that sometimes, most people like instant results and shortcuts to get results they want. But in her experience, she found out that there has to be an investment in the communication process. “You won’t get any long-term results if you’re in only for a short time.”She also advises graduates to be open to learning from others and to be humble as they can make many mistakes along the way. (DMGCRocamora)

Duday works as a communications and public awareness specialist at the Regional Project Management Office of CTI-Southeast Asiaand as assistant manager for technical services at PRIMEX Inc.

Dr. Custodio’s session was entitled Cultural Adaptation, Developmental Communication, and Community. Focusing

on intercultural communication, six papers were presented on international teaching assistant (ITA) perceptions, cultural otherness, indigenous communication, cultural adaptability, and communication infrastructure. This year’s conference was attended by around 2,910 scholars from more than 40 countries. With the theme “Communicating with Power,” this

year’s conference aimed to put more emphasis on “communicating effectively with not only government agencies and corporate players but also civil society and grassroots organizations.” It also stressed the need for more theoretical critique, methodological rigor, philosophical reflection, creative intervention, and alternative historical imagination for communicative acts. (DMGCRocamora)

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CDC students join int’l health writing competition in Seoul Two junior students, Victorena II Diesta and Charmaine Distor, of the College of Development Communication participated in the 2016 International Girls’ Health Writing Competition at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, June 7. Their proposal, FORhea (For the Reproductive Health Education of Adolescent Girls), is a mobile application about girls’ reproductive health and related issues. Twenty seven teams from 14 countries presented their papers on girls’ health issues and proposed approaches for solutions. Their presentations were evaluated by experts in various fields. For Diesta, the experience was an eye-opener as she learned that “out of all the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN), maternal and girls’ health has the lowest success rates.”As for Distor, she described her experience as heartwarming. She also emphasized the importance

of development communication in conceptualizing and implementing projects like these. (DMGCRocamora)

Chico, Felicidario present paper at EADN Annual Forum aProf. Mark Lester DM. Chico and aProf. Sherwin Joseph C. Felicidario presented the initial results of their research at the East Asian Development Network (EADN) Annual Forum last June 1-2 at the Marco Polo Hotel, Pasig City.aProf. Chico’s research entitled “Community Media for Social Transformation: The Missing Link for Climate Change Resilience” aims to develop a framework that could be adopted by East Asian community radio stations towards climate change resiliency. Aside from Chico, AProf. Benjamina Paula G. Flor, and University Research Associate Juvy N. Gopela are part of the research team. They are being mentored by Dr. Emma Porio, a sociologist from Ateneo de Manila University.On the other hand, Felicidario’s research team is composed of aProf. Trina Leah Mendoza and AProf. Ma. Stella C. Tirol.

They are being mentored by Dr. Suguru Mizunoya from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.aProf. Felicidario’s research, “Delivery and Performance among Non-formal Education Service Providers for Agriculture and Natural Resource Management in the Philippines: Towards Framing Quality Indicators and Policy Reforms”, seeks to find out the current status of nonformal education providers in the Philppines.Chico and Felicidario are among the seven presenters awarded with research grants from EADN, through the Philippine Institute for Development Studies. In this annual forum, the initial findings of their research were critiqued for improvement.On July 1, Chico and Felicidario are set to present their initial report, and they are expected to complete their research by December 2016. (EVPadilla)

Herbon leads...Other CDC theses nominated are as follows:• [Re]creating the Caregiving Experience as Lived by the

Roman Catholic Sisters in Bahay ni Maria, Sampiruhan, Calamba City, Laguna by Nicole G. Amante;

• Designing a Communication Strategy Toward the Promotion of Children’s Oral Health Among Parents/Caretakers in Calamba City, Laguna: An Action Research by Jelaine R. Bagos;

• Communicating Drivers of Barriers to the Disclosure of University Students’ Affliction with Depression by Zoe Arrianne T. Banzon;

• Exploring Communication as Social Capital Formation for Community Participation Through the Narratives of the Members of Mariang Sinukuan Upland Farmers’ Association by Pamela V. Carbungco;

• Predictors of Taguig City Household Heads’ Intention to Seek Information on the West Valley Fault for Earthquake Risks and Preparedness by Ma. Alyssa Bianca A. Caugma; and

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Diesta and Distor present their proposal FORhea (For the Reproductive Health Education of Adolescent Girls). Photo courtesy of Soyoung Jeon

• Manifestation of Community Broadcasting Characteristics in a Commercial Radio Station in San Pablo City: The Case of 107.1 DCG FM by Arron Lucius B. Herbon

Amoyan’s research challenges the assumption that the role of development communication in social change is to give voice to the voiceless.“‘Yung idea kasi natin sa devcom ‘yung mga taong katulad nila ay walang boses. Kung iisipin ay kailangan pa nila tayo para maisangguni ‘yung kanilang karapatan, pero hindi.”The plight of the fisherfolk inspired Amoyan in her research so much so that she willingly extended her stay in the university by more than a year to finish her thesis.Amoyan’s paper was presented at the “Communications for Social Change: Intersections of Theory & Praxis” Conference organized by the Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE) held at the National University of Singapore from January 6-8.Amoyan challenges BSDC students to take their theses seriously and to explore uncharted waters. (EVPadilla and DMGCRocamora)

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Editor-in-Chief ROSA PILIPINAS FFRANCISCO

Adviser:MA. THERESA H. VELASCO

Associate Editor

RICARDA B. VILLAR

Writers ELISHA V. PADILLA

DENISE MADELEINE GALE C. ROCAMORA

Layout ELISHA V. PADILLA RICARDA B. VILLAR

http://www.devcom.edu.ph/devcommail

EDITORIAL BOARD

#BHLaguna2016 partners, volunteers recognized

Partner organizations and student volunteers who participated in this year’s Bantay Halalan coverage were recognized by the College of Development Communication last June 3 at the CDC Annex 1.Among those awarded were media organizations and academic institutions from which many student volunteers came from. The student

volunteers were given certificates.More than 200 student-volunteers took part in the 26-hour coverage spearheaded by CDC’s Department of Development Broadcasting and Telecommunications. The student-volunteers helped with social media coverage, live field reporting, and news writing for the evening newscast.aProf. Lester Ordan, committee chair of Bantay Halalan 2016, looked forward

Some student volunteers and representatives from partner organizations share a light moment with some DDBT faculty. (Photo taken by JLRoble originally posted in the Bantay Halalan 2016 Volunteers’ Facebook group)

to forging stronger ties among academic institutions in Laguna for future coverage. He added that these partnerships might be also done outside of Bantay Halalan in the future.“Isa pa sa mga naiisip ay magkaroon ng kumbaga network ng community broadcasters slash journalists dito sa Laguna composed of students and at the same time, faculty members, and those coming from the community,” aProf. Ordan said.The coverage of the 2016 national elections was made possible with the participation of: Laguna University, Malayan Colleges, San Pablo Colleges, University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta, UP Photographers’ Society, UP Alliance of Development Communication Students, UPLB College of Development Communication Alumni Association Inc., DZJV, DCG FM, Community Cable Vision Corp., and the Los Baños Times. (EVPadilla)

Congratulations Class of 2016!

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