By Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY, Basilan – Information officers (IOs) and information technology officers
(ITOs) of the five provinces under the Department of Agrarian Reform-ARMM
underwent intensive training on journalism and website development for better
communications work ahead. Techies
Ma. Corazon A. Dans,
newly appointed head of DAR-ARMM communications group said that the freshly
organized team would be facing some challenges ahead in terms of making
communication work more effective and efficient to DAR’s beneficiaries.
She said that most of the
IOs and ITOs were just appointed in January this year and she felt the need to
prepare the team for greater tasks ahead.
In partnership with the
Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Zamboanga City and Basilan and the
Office of the ARMM Regional Governor (ORG), DAR-ARMM hosted the seminar on newswriting
and website development for IOs and ITOs from February 16 to 21 at Cecille’s
Catering and Pension House, Tumaga Porcentro, Zamboanga City.
The first three days were
devoted to journalism where PIA personnel introduced participants to write
straight news and feature stories, photojournalism, creating infographics and
basic newsletter production. Speakers include Information Center Manager Dave
Malcampo and Dominick Sanchez of Zamboanga City Information Center and Rene V.
Carbayas, information center manager of PIA-Basilan.
The next three days were
devoted to website development workshops in which the participants walked
through the creation of local website, hooked at DAR-ARMM regional website.
Speakers were Melvin L. Ellarina, administrative assistant of the Information
Communications Technology Office-ORG and its staff Charlie Magne A. Martinez.
The workshop also
includes interactive discussions and extensive hands-on activities on
newsletter production and layout and participants were expected to produce
local office’s newsletter, infographics, and website.
The activity is in
support of DAR-ARMM Regional Secretary Amihilda J. Sangcopan’s thrust to
redeem, revitalize and re-engineer the department.
“This activity is being
conducted to train and enhance the skills of our Information Officers and Information
Technology Officers. These IOs and ITOs that we have now are young and very
much willing to learn. So, we are expecting that after this
workshop, new ideas and new innovations will be applied,” Secretary Sangcopan
said.
The participants were coming
from the ARMM provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Basilan and
Tawi-tawi.