What We Do

Dr. Moscoso publishes creative work in small scale fisheries e-book

Dr. Mildred O. Moscoso, associate professor at the Department of Educational Communication (DEC), published an article in Portrait of Small-Scale Fishers in the Philippines, an e-book launched by the Too Big To Ignore (TBTI) Global Research Network. The book launch was held via Zoom on 12 July 2023.

The e-book consists of essays and stories about 83 small-scale fishers from 125 contributors from all over the country. It sought to raise awareness about issues surrounding small-scale fisherfolks’s lives, the status of their livelihood, and the interventions needed to support them. UP Visayas Professors Dr. Alice Joan G. Ferrer and Dr. Harold M. Monteclaro served as book editors of the publication.

Dr. Moscoso’s article contribution, titled Francis Reyes: the young gillnet fisher and the Laguna Lake, creatively articulates the experiences and challenges faced by Francis Reyes, a small-scale fisherman in Brgy. Mayondon, Los Baños Laguna. In her work, she narrated how fishing was a vocation that Francis enjoyed and grew up with.

However, despite Francis’ pride and optimism in this livelihood, he still wanted his children to have a secure future that did not depend solely on the lake. Stability of catch is threatened by numerous factors such as deterioration of the lake water quality resulting from the increase of wastes (e.g. agricultural, domestic, and industrial wastes), climate change, and unsustainable fishing practices, which would force him to look for other sources of income. In Francis’ words, “tamang diskarte” (just the right amount of resourcefulness) is necessary in times of scarcity of fish in the lake.

TBTI is a global research network and knowledge mobilization partnership that aims to address the concerns and issues surrounding small-scale fishermen worldwide. In 2022, TBTI established a new hub in the Philippines based in UP Visayas. This partnership between TBTI and UPV was deemed important in pursuit of extending support to small-scale fishermen (SSF), deemed to be a marginalized sector in the country.

You may access the full ebook here. (Gerald Pesigan)

Cover photo: Francis Reyes and Dr. Mildred Moscoso during their interview for the article, 23 September 2022. (Mario Maningas & John Anthony Mendoza.)

Katigbak leads CDC Silver Class 2023

Cedric Allen U. Katigbak, with a General Weighted Average (GWA) of 1.16071, leads the College of Development Communication’s (CDC) Silver Class of 2023 as valedictorian and summa cum laude.

On behalf of his class, Katigbak addressed CDC’s 25th Testimonial and Recognition Program for Graduating and Honor Students held on August 3 at the UPLB CAS Auditorium.

Facing the challenges of the pandemic

Katigbak experienced his fair share of obstacles during his educational journey. He had grown into a shining instance of dedication and drive after navigating the difficulties of studying while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and honing the skills he had acquired in the field of Devcom.

One of the biggest obstacles he faced while pursuing his education was the pandemic pandemic. It interfered with how he managed to learn, particularly in the higher-level Devcom courses that called for not just precedent knowledge from earlier semesters. He was a social learner who found it hard to adjust to taking classes online because he preferred in-person conversations and hands-on activities, which afterall is the nature of Devcom praxis.

He used a three-pronged strategy to get through these challenges. First, he surrounded himself with a solid circle of friends and org mates facing similar struggles. They supported one another and were held responsible for their progress. While studying, he practiced self-control and averted distractions like social media. Finally, he prioritized his mental health by watching motivational videos and having meaningful conversations with friends. He also maintained a healthy lifestyle involving regular exercise.

Academics and other interests

He managed his time well despite having an active schedule as a student leader and participant in several organizations. He became chairperson of the CDC Freshman Council.

He encouraged focusing on the current task to produce high-quality outputs. His experiences inspired him to be even more active in addressing social issues and advocating for positive change. Furthermore, he pointed out the significance of learning outside the classroom by immersing oneself in various communities. Attending educational discussions with different sectors allowed him to interact with professionals and gain insights into the hardships faced by farmers, women, and other marginalized groups.

Aside from family, friends, and children who have worked in sectors before for every subject, Cedric’s own dream also became his motivation.

“Kasi gusto kong maging television news presenter or anchor. May idol ako si David Moore, isang American. Tapos sa Philippines naman ang idol ko ay si Karmina Constantino. So I followed them on social media. Tapos everytime na nakikita kong nag po post sila ng stories they produce, bigla kong maaalala ‘Ay may gagawin pa pala ako’. Sila yung motivation ko from time to time na okay I really have to work it because I want to be like them,” he said.

Katigbak managed his expectations based on what he knew he could do. He found advocacies, immersed himself in different communities, and developed an awareness on what was happening around him. 

His advice to others is to learn inside the classroom and seek for learning opportunities outside. Through this, they would be able to bring their best foot forward whenever they face another community or another person that they can work with in the future. 

As a summa cum laude

Katigbak did not expect to be lead CDC’s Silver Class. He shared that during the semester before his last one, he received his lowest GWA, which potentially compromised his chances of graduating summa cum laude. Fortunately, he received a flat one GWA during his last semester.

He thought back on the difficulties he went through and the sacrifices he had made, feeling that all of his efforts had been fruitful. 

Parang nabalik lahat nung memories na nahihirapan ako. I was alone, studying at our house. I am so grateful to all my professors, family and friends who helped me to be here,” he added.

Cedric is the second summa cum laude CDC has produced in its 25-year history. (Leanshey Castillo and Maurice Paner)

[SPEECH] Cedric Allen U. Katigbak’s Message on Behalf of CDC Silver Class 2023

Sa ating kagalang-galang na UPLB Chancellor, Dr. Jose Camacho Jr.; sa ating tagapagsalita at kauna-unahang dekana ng Kolehiyo ng Komunikasyong Pangkaunlaran, Dr. Maria Celeste  Habito-Cadiz; sa mga bumubuo ng Kolehiyo na pinapanganuhan ng ating dekana na si Dr. Ma. Stella Tirol, kalihim na si Dr. Liza Cabrera, mga tagapangulo ng mga departamento na sina Asst. Prof. Aletheia Araneta, Dr. Elaine Llarena, Dr. Trina Leah Mendoza, at Ginoong Elijah Jesse Pine; mga magulang; kapamilya; at kapwa kong magsisipagtapos sa Kolehiyo, isang mapagpalayang araw sa ating lahat!

Bilang batang laki sa probinsya, palagi akong nasasabik sa pagdating ng araw ng Sabado sapagkat makakapaglaro na akong muli sa labas. Malinaw pa sa aking alaala ang mga tradisyunal na Pilipinong laro tulad ng luksong-baka at patintero. Mayroong mga araw na pagkatapos mag-almusal ay tutungo agad kami sa aming tagpuan, uuwi lamang para magtanghalian, at lalabas na muli hanggang sumilip na ang buwan. 

Isa ang pagkakaroon ng pagkakataong makapaglaro at makapaglibang sa mga pangunahing karapatan ng bawat batang Pilipino. Sa pagbabaliktanaw ko sa aking buhay devcom at sa mga aktibidad ng aking organisasyon, aking napagtanto na ang mga bata ang sektor na aking pinaka-nakasalamuha. Mula sa pagsulat ng balita tungkol sa sitwasyon ng malnutrisyon base sa datos; pagbuo ng isang learning system sa pangangalaga ng kalusugang pang-isipan sa tahanan at paaralan; pagtuturo ng pagbabasa sa paaralang pang-elementarya; hanggang sa pagsulong ng kanilang mga karapatan gamit ang sining. 

Sa isang pagkakataon, habang naglalakad kami ng kaibigan ko sa kalye pasadong hatinggabi, nakasalubong namin ang isang batang nagbebenta ng pangmeryenda. Tawagin natin siya sa pangalang Juan. Nilapitan ni Juan ang lahat ng kaniyang makakasalubong para alukin ng panindang nakasilid sa basket na mukhang puno pa, habang sinasabing, ‘bili na po kayo, pambaon ko lang po bukas’. 

Ang karanasan ni Juan ay hindi kaiba sa karanasan ng mga batang ating nakakasabay sa jeep, hindi bilang kapwa pasahero, kundi bilang matatapang na sumasampa sa matutuling sasakyan upang manghingi ng kaunting barya; ng mga batang araw-araw nakikibaka sa buhay habang may iniindang sakit dulot ng malnutrisyon; at ng mga batang kinailangang tumigil mag-aral noong pandemya sapagkat kailangan munang unahing makapagtapos si ate o kuya. 

Marahil natanong na rin kayo noon, ‘paano masasabing nakamit na ang kaunlaran?’. Sinabi ko sa aking kaibigan na, para sa akin, maunlad na ang bansa kung wala nang batang kailangan pang magtrabaho para may mailaman sa tiyan at maipambaon kinabukasan. Isang ideyang pumasok sa aking isipan, na buhat ng mga tagpo ko sa mga kabataan at sa karanasan ng mga batang tulad ni Juan, ay magiging sagot ko rin sa kung paano nga ba masusukat ang kaunlaran. 

Madalas lumabas sa bibig natin nung mga bata pa tayo ang pariralang, ‘paglaki ko, gusto kong maging…’. Ngayong tayo ay magsisipagtapos, hindi man pareho sa ating pahayag noon ang kursong tinahak natin ngayon, ang pinakamahalaga ay nagkaroon tayo ng pagkakataon at motibasyong makapagsabing, ‘ako ay may pangarap’. 

Ito ang karanasang kasalukuyang ipinagkakait ng lipunan sa ibang mga bata – na ang pagkakataong mangarap ay parang lata sa tumbang-presong dinurog ng mga mapang-biktimang sistema ng lipunan tulad ng kurapsyon at karahasan; na ang kakayahang makamit ang edukasyon ay tila luksong tinik na may mga balakid pang kailangang lagpasan; na ang access sa sapat na nutrisyon at kalusugan ay parang gantimpala sa palosebo na hindi maabot dahil sa dulas ng kapalaran.  

Bagamat ang paglilibang ay kanilang karapatan bilang mga bata, ang buhay nila’y hindi dapat maging araw-araw na pakikipaglaro sa tadhana. Kaya naman, nais kong mag-iwan ng tatlong mensahe na nawa’y ating maalala habang suot natin ang pinagsikapang sablay. Sablay na simbulo ng mithiing binuo nang may ngiti noong tayo’y mga bata at may lakas ng loob na hinabi habang tayo’y lumalaki.

Una, sana’y kasabay ng paglipat ng ating mga sablay ang pagtanggap sa hamon. Hamon na ang ating mga aksyon sa hinaharap ay maging kontribusyon para sa isang lipunang magbibigay ng pagkakataon sa mga batang makulayan ang mga iginuhit sa papel nang tanungin sila kung ano ang gusto nilang maging. 

Sa paglayag natin sa ating mga propesyong tutunguhin, ating pagsikapan ang isang bansang walang batang gagalugarin ang kalyeng madilim o sasampa sa mga rumaragasang jeep upang may ipangtustos sa mga inosenteng mithiin. Isang Pilipinas kung saan lahat ng batang Pilipino ay makapagsasabing, ‘ako rin ay may pangarap’ – nang may ngiti, may lakas ng loob, at may pag-asa. 

Bilang ika-dalawampu’t limang klaseng magsisipagtapos sa ating kolehiyo, sana’y ating panghawakan na sa susunod pang limampu, maging hanggang sandaang-taon, patuloy nating isusulong ang layuning walang sektor ang maiiwan, anuman ang kanilang edad, anuman ang kanilang pangarap. Lalong-lalo na ngayon kung saan ang pagsukat ng kaunlaran ay naka-sentro sa bilang ng mga naipatayong imprastraktura, at tila nakakalimutan na ang mga taong gagamit sana ng mga gusali at kalsada.

Subalit, hindi ito magiging madali buhat ng malawakang disimpormasyon, dagdag pa ang mga naghaharing-uri at institusyong ginagamit ang posisyon at krisis para sa kapakapanang pansarili. Ito ay ating mga katunggali, at, sa mga prinsipyong itinuro ng unibersidad, sa mga ito’y hinding-hindi sana tayo magiging bahagi. 

Ikalawa, nawa’y kaakibat din ng ating mga sablay ang pasasalamat sa pagkakataong ibinigay sa atin ng ating mga pamilya at ng mamamayang Pilipino. Ma at Pa, salamat sa patuloy na paniniwala sa aking kakayahan sa mga pagkakataong ako mismo ay nag-aalinlangan na. Pagpupugay din sa lahat ng mga magulang at mga tumayong magulang para sa sarili upang matutustusan ang pag-aaral sa kabila ng iba’t ibang krisis dala ng pandemya. 

Sa aking mga kaklase at orgmates na mula sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa, buhat ang kani-kaniyang wika, kultura, adbokasiya, at paniniwala; sa aking mga gurong may malawak na kaalaman at malalim na pagsinta sa kanilang mga itinuturong kurso, kabilang ang aking tagapayo na si Asst. Prof. Olga Lomboy; hanggang sa mga manggagawa at mamamayan ng Elbi na itinuring na rin tayong bahagi ng kanilang tahanang bayan. Ang pakikisalamuha ko sa inyo, sa labas man o sa loob ng silid-aralan, ay lubos na nagpabago sa aking perspektibo, lalong-lalo na sa buhay at sa kung para kanino nga ba ito.

Panghuli, sa mga panahong tayo’y natutuliro sa pabago-bagong klima ng komunikasyon at pulitika, ating baunin ang kwento ng mga komunidad na ating kinilala, ng mga sources na ating nakapanayam, at ng mga organisasyong ating nakatrabaho, bilang silakbong muling mapapainit sa alab ng ating mga damdamin. 

Sa Kolehiyo ng Komunikasyong Pangkaunlaran, na aming naging tahanan sa loob ng apat na taon o higit pa, maligayang ika-dalawampu’t-limang taon ng pagkakatatag! Ilang dekada na ang lumipas ay hayag na hayag pa rin ang kahalagahan ng larang; sapagkat hanggang may isang Pilipinong naiiwan sa proseso ng kaunlaran, ang devcom ay mananatiling makabuluhan. 

Bilang pangwakas, pagpupugay sa aking mga kapwa magsisipagtapos. Sa ating paglabas sa pamantasan, haharapin muli natin ang isa sa mga pinakamahirap na tanong mula nang tayo’y nasa unang taon pa lang  –  ‘ano ba ang devcom?’. Mayroon mang sinalitang depenisyon ito, aking paniniwala na ang kahulugan ng devcom ay nakadepende sa atin. Sa kung paano natin gagamitin ang ating mga natutunan upang tugunan ang mga pabago-bagong isyung panlipunan. Ang tanong na dapat nating pagnilayan: ‘paano ko ipapakilala ang devcom sa labas ng paaralan?’

Walang katumbas na ligayang pagbati, CDC Silver Class of 2023! Matapos ang hindi mabilang na mga salitang isinulat sa mga akademikong papel, mga output na sa wakas ay ‘turned in’ na, mga pinagpapawisang hakbang patungo sa susunod na klase, mga oras at sakripisyong inialay para sa bayan, at mga ‘padayong’ narinig at tumatak sa puso’t isipan – heto tayo’t sasablay na. 

Mabuhay ang mga Iskolar ng Bayan! 

Mabuhay ang Kolehiyo ng Komunikasyong Pangkaunlaran! 

Para sa mga kabataan, para sa bayan! 

Maraming salamat po. 

CDC holds 2023 midyear review, strat planning

The College of Development Communication (CDC), led by Dean Maria Stella C. Tirol, held its 2023 Midyear Review and Strategic Planning Workshop on 4-5 July 2023 at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City, Cavite.

The workshop aimed to serve as an avenue to set the priorities and direction of the College for 2023-2025 through discussions on proposed programs, projects, and activities in the areas of administration and management, curriculum and teaching, research, extension and public service, and faculty, REPS, administrative staff, and student development and wefare towards the achievement of CDC’s vision, mission, and strategic goals.

It likewise aimed to strengthen teamwork and camaraderie among staff, through team-building activities.

A pre-planning workshop participated in by the CDC Executive Committee was held last June 15. A review of the status of programs, projects, and activities at the College- and Department/OCS-level was conducted. Accordingly, plans for 2023-2025 have been discussed. As inputs to this pre-planning workshop, departments held their own planning sessions and standing committees submitted their annual activity reports.

CDC alumni, DEC faculty participate in 2023 ICOIE

College of Development Communication (CDC) alumni and faculty members from the Department of Educational Communication (DEC) participated in the 2023 International Conference on Open and Innovative Education (ICOIE) held at the Hongkong Metropolitan University, Hongkong SAR on 4-6 July 2023. 

ICOIE aims to serve as a venue for scholars and practitioners around the world to discuss relevant and timely issues on open and innovative education. The theme of this year’s conference was on agile-blended learning.

Here are titles of the CDC personnels’ paper presentations:

  • Towards an Adaptive DevCom Education: BSDC Students’ Experiences and Perspectives on DevCom Learning During the Pandemic
    by Rhodora Ramonette M. de Villa-Custodio, Mildred O. Moscoso, and John Mervin L. Embate
  • Participation in the Chemistry Laboratory Program 2022: Assessing Selected UPLB Students’ Goal Orientations and Perceived Benefits
    by John Mervin L. Embate, Marvic S. Lacsamana, Joshua Michael G. Jonas, Arvin Paul P. Tuaño, and Rhea M. Yanos
  • Evaluation of Canvas LMS: Remote Learning Experiences of Students during the Pandemic
    Edmund G. Centeno
  • Teaching in Cyberspace: Teachers’ Experiences in Using LMS as a Teaching and Learning Tool during the Pandemic
    by Beverly R. Pabro

Another CDC alumnus, Mr. Edgar Daniel Bagasol, Jr., who is also a lecturer at UP Cebu, likewise participated in the conference with his students. (Miguel Victor Durian)

Photo from EDBagasolJr.

Asst. Prof. Chico is PH’s rep to the World Journalism Education Council

The UPLB College of Development Communication’s (CDC) Mark Lester M. Chico, president of the Philippine Association of Communication Education, is representing the Philippines in the World Journalism Education Council (WJEC).

WJEC is a coalition representing academic associations worldwide that are involved in journalism and mass communication at the university level. By bringing organizations from six continents together, the Council hopes to provide a common space for journalism educators from around the world and to focus on issues that are universal in the field.

During the meetings in France, the Council elected its new chair and discussed, among others, the plans for the WJEC Congress happening in Perth, Australia in 2025 to be hosted by the Edith Cowan University with the theme “Journalism in uncertain times.”

At the conference of the International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) in Lyon, WJEC, together with UNESCO, sponsored a panel on Teaching Journalism Today and launched the WJEC global survey report on the future of journalism and two new handbooks for journalism educators: Teaching Journalism Online and Reporting on Artificial Intelligence.

PACE, as an organizational member of the WJEC, will hold the Communication and Media Studies Conference (CMSC) 2023 on October 19-21 at the Lyceum of the Philippines Cavite with the theme “Communication and Media Education in the time of AI: Values, Ethics, and Practices.”

CDC admin staff, supervisors retool on SPMS

The College of Development Communication’s (CDC) administrative staff and supervisors underwent a reorientation workshop on the Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS) facilitated by the UPLB Human Resources Development Office (HRDO) held on 3 July 2023 in the CDC Graduate Room. It was organized by the Administrative Personnel Welfare and Development Committee chaired by Ms. Sarah Mae G. Coronel.

Participated in by 28 personnel the workshop aimed to refresh them on the CDC-SPMS assessment monitoring to enhance their performance and ensure that they effectively perform their roles in achieving the college’s strategic objectives.

Serving as resource persons and facilitators were Ms. Rosalyn Mabel M. Jimera, Ms. Annalyn G. Ledda, Mr. Christian Jonah P. Mizal , and Ms. Jay Anne T. Consignado.

The event was also graced by Dean Maria Stella C. Tirol, Dr. Roderick C. Javar (Director, HRDO), and Mr. Ricardo Amiel Raveche (Supervising Administrative Officer, HRDO), who expressed their support for the empowerment of CDC’s administrative sector. (Miguel Victor Durian)

CDC alum recieves IAMCR-FAO Rural Comm Research Award

The College of Development Communication (CDC) congratulates its alum, Dr. Ma. Theresa M. Rivera, for being one of the recipients of the Rural Communication Services (RCS) Research Award given by the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN). This was for her paper entitled “Rural Radio and Citizen Participation: Role of Digital Technology in Multi-Stakeholder Participation.”

Interested in her study? Register here to witness her paper presentation via Zoom on July 12 (15:45 – 17:30 CEST) during the IAMCR 2023 Conference in Lyon, France: https://bit.ly/RCSAward. It will also be webcast on cccomdev.

For more information on RCS, visit this link: http://www.cccomdev.org/rcs-awards/

HEAL-PH by UPLB’s Team M1R4G3 wins mobile app hackathon

HEAL-PH or Healthy Eating, Active Lifestyle, for Planetary Health was the winning mobile app in the FLExPHD Food is Life EXemplified Mobile App Development Competition for Planetary Health Diet. The competition was organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), in partnership with the National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines (NAST PHL) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST- PCAARRD). The Grand Finals Pitching and Demo Day was held on 28 June 2023 at SEARCA.

Team M1R4G3 bested 12 other finalists from all over the country, who had been shortlisted from 40 teams, which had, in turn, been selected from over 150 teams that initially joined the competition.

HEAL-PH aims to guide UPLB students to eat right, move more, and develop habits that improve their health today and our planet tomorrow. Using computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI), the app leverages the habit of students taking photos of their meals.

The app automatically analyzes these images, detecting and categorizing the food groups to assess nutritional content and diversity. HEAL-PH also interfaces with existing phone apps to track exercise, water intake, and sleep.

One of the app’s unique attributes was that from the get-go, HEAL-PH embraced a collaborative design approach. UPLB students contributed real-life photos of the food they consumed, photos that capture the local cuisine and food culture of UPLB. These were used to train the app’s AI. DevCom students also designed and pretested the infographics and video used to communicate the science of planetary health.

Another unique attribute of HEAL-PH was its utility for research. UPLB students who use the app are citizen scientists, contributing data that can be analyzed to gain insights into nutrition and health on a larger scale. This wealth of big data will be invaluable for researchers in understanding planetary health impacts to provide evidence-based recommendations for decision-makers.

HEAL-PH was developed by Team M1R4G3, an interdisciplinary group of faculty members and a student. Dr. Val Randolf M. Madrid and Rutherford Belleza are from UPLB’s Institute of Computer Science; Asst. Prof. Ann Cayetano and former Asst. Prof Anna Teresa Orillo are from the Institute of Human Nutrition and Food, Dr. Salvador P. Catelo is from the College of Economics and Management, and Asst. Prof. Avril Adrianne Madrid is from the Department of Science Communication at the College of Development Communication.