Category: News

Seven academic staff members from the Department of Educational Communication (DEC) participated in the 2024 DLSU Seminar on Research Publication in Education held at The Verdure, De La Salle University Manila, 15 April 2024.

These included Mr. Elijah Jesse M. Pine, Assoc. Prof. Mildred O. Moscoso, Asst. Prof. John Mervin L. Embate, Asst. Prof. Romel A. Daya, Asst Prof. Rovil A. Espiritu, Asst. Prof. Clarisse M. Gonzalvo and Ms. Renz Frances D. Abagat-Manrique.

The seminar featured research presentations from Dr. Joyce Koh, Associate Professor in Higher Education at the University of Otago, New Zealand; Dr. Andy Gao, Professor at the School of Education at the University of New South Wales, Australia; and Dr. Youyan Nie, Associate Professor at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. All three resource persons are key editors of The Asia-Pacific Education Research (TAPER), a Scopus Q1 internationally refereed journal published by the DLSU Publishing House.

Dr. Koh shared the results of their research at Otago titled Online Dexterity: Implications for Post-COVID Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. On the other hand, Dr. Gao presented his research results titled Agency in Language Education. Lastly, Dr. Nie presented her research titled Motivation to Learn Science: Discover the Profiles of Students from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. 

The last part of the program was a Forum on Publishing in Top Publications moderated by Dr. Timothy Teo, Professor of Education at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the editor-in-chief of TAPER. During the forum, the speakers shared their experiences and imparted tips in writing research papers, refining manuscripts after receiving reviewers’ feedback, dealing with writer’s block and academic burnout, and submitting papers in leading academic journals about education. 

Other educators and education researchers from institutions from Manila, Bicol, and Leyte, among others also participated in the seminar. (Renz Frances D. Abagat-Manrique & Elijah Jesse M. Pine)

The UPLB College of Development Communication (CDC) together with the University of Reading (UoR) conducted a workshop to craft the curriculum for a proposed Dual Master of Science in Development Communication program held on 2-3 April 2024 in the CDC Conference Room. This took off from an initial workshop that laid the foundations of the proposal held in March 2023.

The event commenced with a warm welcome from Dean Maria Stella C. Tirol, who expressed enthusiasm in seeing the MS program come to fruition soon. She also thanked CDC’s visiting professor, Dr. Sarah Cardey of UoR’s School of Agriculture, Policy, and Development, for her university’s sustained collaboration with UPLB CDC.

On the other hand, Dr. Benjamina Paula G. Flor, CDC Curriculum Committee and Graduate Program Management Committee Chair, highlighted the significance of the endeavor in advancing the globalization of Devcom as an academic and scholarly field.

During the workshop proper, discussions on various areas were done, particularly the program requirements and program goals, as well as the program rationale, program learning objectives, and course structure and crediting. 

These were facilitated by Dr. Pamela A. Custodio (UPLB Graduate School Secretary), Dr. Winifredo B. Dagli (Chair, Department of Science Communication), and Dr. Edmund G. Centeno (Chair, CDC Quality Assurance Committee), respectively. The resources and administration of the MS program was also tackled. Director Anna Floresca F. Firmalino of the Office of International Linkages (OIL) was also present to give additional insights and feedback.

Also in attendance to provide insights were CDC’s Executive Committee members, namely Asst. Prof. Aletheia C. Araneta (Chair, Department of Development Journalism), Dr. Trina Leah T. Mendoza (Chair, Department of Development Broadcasting and Telecommunication), Mr. Elijah Jesse M. Pine (OIC, Department of Educational Communication), and Dr. Liza A. Cabrera (College Secretary), and Dr. Elaine DC. Llarena (International Relations Officer).

Serving as documenter and facilitator were Ms. Juvy Leonarda N. Gopela (University Researcher I) and Asst. Prof. Miguel Victor T. Durian (Chair, CDC Committee on Public Affairs), respectively.

Through the UPLB Graduate School, CDC currently offers five graduate programs in Devcom. One of which is a Dual PhD by Research Program jointly offered with UoR. (Miguel Victor Durian)

The Department of Educational Communication of the UPLB College of Development Communication (DEC-CDC) and  UP-CIFAL Philippines inked a collaboration on developing a storybook to raise children’s awareness about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on 19 March 2024 in the CDC Conference Room.

The initiative, titled “Stories for Sustainability: Promoting Children’s SDG Awareness through Storytelling,” aims to develop a media-based learning project to educate children about the importance of sustainable development. 

UP-CIFAL Philippines partnered with DEC through a DEVC 144 (Media-based Learning Systems) laboratory class under the mentorship of Dr. Liza A. Cabrera, CDC College Secretary and DEC faculty member. DEVC 144 is an undergraduate course which trains students to develop media-based instructional materials such as educational storybooks, board games, and electronic learning modules for partner learning organizations in the formal and nonformal education sector. 

Representatives from DEC-CDC and UP-CIFAL Philippines held an exploratory meeting to discuss the core thrusts of their respective units, future collaborative opportunities, and the nature of said storybook project.

The representatives from DEC-CDC were Dean Maria Stella C. Tirol, Mr. Elijah Jesse M. Pine (DEC Officer-in-Charge), Dr. Mildred O. Moscoso (CDC Extension and Public Service Committee Chair), Ms. Renz Frances D. Abagat-Manrique (University Extension Associate), and Dr. Cabrera. The UP-CIFAL Philippines representatives were Dr. Michelle R. Palumbarit (UP-CIFAL Philippines Director), Ms. Toni Serrano-Soriano (Junior Project Manager), and project staff. DEVC 144 students were also present during the meeting. 

Both parties signed a letter of agreement (LOA) that signified the beginning of the collaboration. UP CIFAL Philippines also expressed their interest in partnering with DEC in the future through EdComics, an arm of DEC dedicated to utilizing online comics as an informational and educational medium. 

During their visit, Dr. Cabrera’s DEVC 144 laboratory class also presented to UP-CIFAL Philippines the initial results of the learning needs assessment (LNA) they conducted, which provided insights on the visual design, storytelling method, and SDG of focus of the storybook project. 

UP-CIFAL Philippines is a center established in 2016 through an agreement between the University of the Philippines and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). It is a hub that focuses on advocacy, capacity building, and research on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with focus on themes such as gender equality and migration. 
DEC is an academic unit under CDC that focuses on the potentials of communication in facilitating the learning process towards achieving development outcomes. It regularly conducts research and extension and public service initiatives related to education and development. (Desiree Mindanao & Elijah Jesse Pine)

Radyo DZLB Ang Tinig ng Kaunlaran, the extension and public service program managed by the Department of Development Broadcasting and Telecommunication (DDBT), trained members of the Los Baños Grand 103 Lions Club in community broadcast planning, production, and ethics in a Partners’ Training Workshop held on 26 January 2024 in the College of Development Communication (CDC) Graduate Room.

Facilitated by a team of DDBT faculty-broadcasters, the workshop aimed to capacitate the participants in broadcast program planning, production, and ethics as the newest community partner-cooperator of the station.

Asst. Prof. Marifi T. Magsino introduced the participants to the concepts and principles of community broadcasting in the context of development communication. Dr. Julianne Elca discussed the various types of broadcast programs that the participants can develop, along with various program segments and formats. 

Dr. Maria Teresita B. Osalla discussed the basics of writing, presenting, and packaging a broadcast program proposal. Asst. Prof. Lester P. Ordan discussed broadcast ethics and standards, focusing on the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Broadcast Code.

Breakout sessions were formed, where the participants developed their own capsule program proposals. The groups were assisted by Dr. Elca, Asst. Prof. Magsino, and Mr. Guien Eidrefson P. Garma. The participants presented their capsule proposals, with the breakout session facilitators and Dr. Osalla commenting on their outputs.

Serving as workshop moderator was Asst. Prof. Ryan Jay I. Galang (Radyo DZLB Online! project leader). Ms. Christine Grace Mapacpac (University Extension Associate), Mr. Christopher N. Calamba University Research Associate) and Administrative Assistants Carol Joy C. Cañubas and Joey Q. Pelayo coordinated the logistics and documentation of the event.
Radyo DZLB expects the members of the Los Baños Grand 103 Lions Club to produce and air their teleradyonet programs soon. (Guien Eidrefson P. Garma)

Los Baños and nearby communities received free copies of the print edition of the Los Baños Times, particularly its new magazine format, during an initial round of distributions conducted by the Department of Development Journalism (DDJ) from October to December 2023.

Through this effort, DDJ launched six LB Times Magazines produced by the DEVC 136 classes (Multi-media Materials Production and Management), which chronicled the plight of various sectors in the community and tackled issues such as health and wellness, livelihood, education, women and gender, and the 2022 Philippine National Elections during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The recipients included local government units, barangays, schools, research and development institutions, people’s organizations, and colleges and units of the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

The soft copies of all of the print issues of LB Times, as well as its predecessor Sandiwa, can be accessed through lbtimes.ph. (Miguel Victor Durian; Cover photo by Blessy Lyn Espenilla)

The College of Development Communication (CDC) celebrated its 25th Anniversary by honoring the loyalty and dedication of members of its workforce during 2023 CDC Outstanding Awards held on 20 December 2023 in the CDC Lecture Room 1.

Mr. Romeo “Tito Aga” C. Estimado, Administrative Assistant I of the Department of Educational Communication (DEC), was recognized as the 2023 CDC Outstanding Administrative Personnel.

He was deemed by his colleagues as a resourceful, innovative, and dedicated staff member, contributing to saving college resources, facilitating more efficient processes in instruction, research, extension, and administrative work, providing learning spaces for students, and fostering a positive and happy work environment. Additionally, he not only ensured the completion of his assigned tasks, but he consistently went above and beyond expectations and constantly demonstrated strong work ethic, a sense of initiative, and excellent interpersonal skills.

On the other hand, the Los Baños Times of the Department of Development Journalism (DDJ) was recognized as the 2023 CDC Outstanding Extension Program for its continued pursuit of development as a community news platform, where its goal of a better quality of life for the underserved and marginalized people was woven into every story it tells; for transforming information, education, capacity-building and community engagement work by amplifying the voices of different sectors, and narrating the stories of people from their own perspective; and for the zealous performance of its empowerment role in the community while being committed to the principles of truth-telling and ethical practice of journalism for development.

Finally, the following personnel were also recipients of the the CDC Service Awards for their many years of service to the college:

10 years

• Elaine DC. Llarena
• Geronimo T. Canonio

15 years

• Aletheia  C. Araneta
• Liza A. Cabrera
• Mark Lester M. Chico
• Romel A. Daya
• Marifi T. Magsino

20 years

• Elisa S.  Banasihan

25 and above

• Mildred O. Moscoso (27 yrs)
• Ma. Teresita B.  Osalla (31 yrs)
• Ma. Stella C. Tirol (41 yrs)
• Juvy N. Gopela (25 yrs)
• Rodolfo C. Atayan (41 yrs)
• Romeo C. Estimado (42 yrs)
• Dante P. Ocampo  (29 yrs) 

The 2023 CDC Outstanding Awards was facilitated by the Honors and Awards Committee, chaired by Asst. Prof. Lester P. Ordan and co-chaired by Asst. Prof. Jyasmin M. Calub-Bautista, while the activities held for the 25th CDC Anniversary Celebration were led by the Socials and Special Events Committee, chaired by Dr. Ma. Teresita B. Osalla and Ms. Ma. Anais B. Villapando. (Miguel Victor Durian; Photos by John Anthony Mendoza; Videos produced by Mario Maningas, Anthony Lim, Lester Ordan, and Christopher Calamlam)

The Department of Educational Communication (DEC), CDC launched its monograph titled “Development Communication in Emergency Remote Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges, Adaptation, and Reimagination” on December 21 via Zoom.

Authored by Asst. Prof. Romel A. Daya, Asst. Prof. John Mervin L. Embate, Asst. Prof. Rovil A. Espiritu, and Mr. Elijah Jesse M. Pine, the monograph discusses the challenges faced and adaptation strategies implemented during the pandemic by Devcom educators across the Philippines. It also highlights ways forward for Devcom education in the context of a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world.

The online version of the monograph may be accessed through this sign-up form: bit.ly/48qKh3x This research output is part of DEC’s project on documenting remote learning and teaching experiences in devcom during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event is part of DEC’s activities for CDC’s 25th anniversary celebration.

Asst. Prof. Aldo Gavril T. Lim of the Department of Science Communication (DSC) delivered a talk titled “First you lurk, then you datafy: Using Twitter insights to understand vulnerable groups” during the second session of a two-part hybrid seminar held in the College of Development Communication (CDC) Lecture Room 1 and via Zoom on 4 December 2023.

This was part of DSC’s SCICOMversation: Navigating Complexity Through Meaningful Conversations about Science, an annual seminar series featuring speakers with trailblazing work in science communication for development. It was held this year in partnership with Science Communicators Philippines Inc. (SciCommPH).

In his presentation, Asst. Prof. Lim focused on the use of lurking as a research strategy in understanding the ‘datafied world’ of Filipino men living with HIV.

He mentioned that there has been ample literature that shows how people with health conditions use X (formerly known as Twitter) to build online networks. “Because they are online, they build online networks. And because they are online they live datafied lives,” he explained.

He called X the ‘datafied world’ of Filipino men living with HIV as the users themselves leave footprints of their online activity. More importantly, he explained that these users have created networked identities on X by employing shared social identifiers associated with their HIV status.

“We can tap into their datafied world to understand their connections and at the same time, we can also study the very online spaces that they inhabit. So the question now becomes: how might we harness the vast reservoir of social media data to better understand their life world?” he said on understanding Filipino men living with HIV. 

After the presentation, three discussants from different fields shared their insights regarding the dissertation. 

Dr. Rosanna Ditangco, head of the AIDS Research Group at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, commented on X’s popularity as a social networking platform. 

“As 59% of new infections [of HIV] in the Philippines are young people, deep diving and understanding the X accounts help inform, advocate, and provide support for people living with HIV,” she stressed.  

Another discussant, Zol Brilliance Bautista, a development communication student, emphasized that “social media is a great tool for us to harness and use it for social good, and help the community discuss certain issues.” 

Atty. Melvin Calimag, Executive Director of Newsbyte PH, talked more about the uniqueness of X as a platform. “You do not have to be friends with someone on Twitter to interact with them. Unique ang platform ng Twitter [Twitter is a unique platform].” He also mentioned that journalists themselves use Twitter as a tool to gather information. 

In her closing remarks, Lyn Resurreccion of the Science Communicators Philippines Inc. (SciCommPH) praised the success of the event considering its number of attendees. She also mentioned her anticipation to see a similar forum next time. 

Meanwhile, DSC chair Dr. Elaine DC. Llarena hoped that the SCICOMversation 2023 made its participants reflect on the value and importance of communicating science to the public. She also assured the participants that DSC wilk keep the conversation going by engaging more scicom practitioners in future seminars. 

The afternoon session of the hybrid event was attended by 93 participants in total – 30 online and 63 face-to-face attendees. (Mark Jasper Alvarado, Marius Cristan Pader, and Paolo Rumbines; Photos: Marius Cristan Pader)