The Department of Development Journalism (DDJ) conducted the first session of the DDJ Seminar Series this year titled “Building the Data Journalism Story” via Zoom on 1 October 2024.
Mr. John Samuel Yap, who is a CDC alumnus and is currently a Designer for Digital Content Distribution at INQUIRER.net, served as resource speaker, sharing his experiences as a fellow of the Environmental Data Journalism Academy of the Philippines, a program of Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and Thibi.
At the heart of Yap’s presentation was his article, “A ‘Ticking Bomb’: 47-Year-Old Building Code Puts Metro Manila at Risk,” which delves into the outdated National Building Code of the Philippines and its potential to heighten Metro Manila’s vulnerability to a major earthquake, commonly referred to as “The Big One.” Yap described the piece as a “product of months-long analysis” and used it to guide participants through the steps of developing a data story—from ideation and data collection to crafting a narrative and visualizing findings.
Yap emphasized that, while data journalism demands a unique approach to research, analysis, and presentation compared to traditional journalism, it plays a crucial role in uncovering critical, underreported stories. He acknowledged the challenges in data journalism, particularly the time and effort involved, but highlighted the rewarding experience of providing essential information to the public.
In her welcome remarks, Asst. Prof. Aletheia C. Araneta, chair of the Department of Development Journalism, stressed the importance of cultivating a data-literate community in today’s increasingly data-driven world, which is overwhelmed by information overload, as well as the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
The event was held in partnership with the DEVC 127 (Dat Journalism for Development) class for the first semester of academic year 2024-2025. (Janelle Macandog)
