ANTIPOLO, RIZAL—The Department of Agriculture (DA) – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program, dedicated to effectively communicate the Program’s assistance to poor farmers in its covered provinces, conducted its first-ever training on Effective Business Writing and Presentation Skills at the Boso-Boso Highlands Resort and Hotel in Antipolo, Rizal on June 25-29, 2018.

The University of the Philippines-Open University (UP-OU) co-hosted the activity which is attended by representatives from the national, regional and provincial offices of the SAAD covering its 2017 and 2018 target provinces.

The resource speakers are Dr. Paz Diaz and Ms. Emely Amoloza.

Dr. Diaz is a communications consultant, researcher, trainer, case writer, media literacy expert, and training materials developer. She is currently the Vice President for Academics at the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication and an affiliate member of UP-OU Faculty of Information and Communication Studies.

On the other hand, Ms. Emely Amoloza is a notable researcher and writer. She is a University Extension Associate at UP-OU’s Faculty of Information and Communication Studies.

Engaging activities were facilitated by the guest lecturers from UP-OU encompassing various communications-related topics such as Basic Communication Skills, Effective Communication, Effective Writing, Writing Business Letters and Memos, Effective Presentations, as well as Writing Press Releases and Feature Articles.

One of the outputs developed were the provincial (area) profiles that would be beneficial to the SAAD in documenting not just the program’s implementation but also its impact on its farmer-partners.

Southern Leyte Provincial Coordinator (PC) Ms. Jocelyn Cabanas mentioned three words about the event: vanished, unleashed, and liberty. She added that her fears were set aside in letting the process of letting out her ideas for writing saying that, “Pinagana ang [aming] utak ng ‘di mababagot.” NPMO Planning Officer for Mindanao Mr. Justin dela Rueda admired Dr. Paz’s on-the-spot checking of the write-ups done by each region, while SAAD North Cotabato staff Ms. Anisa Allyn M. Saaduddin is happy to share that the Biz Writing workshops helped her with her confidence.

Participants went home happy as they obtain their certificates of completion through a mini-graduation ceremony. Each one was also able to receive clipboards to further inspire them in their writing journey, as well as shirts bearing designs of Antipolo, Rizal representing the host venue of the event in Region IV-A.

The participants were oriented on the new regional assignments of the NPMO staff in order to continuously facilitate an active exchange of reporting activities on the ground.

DA-SAAD is a locally-funded project under the Department of Agriculture that aims to help alleviate poverty in the poorest provinces of the country through provision of agricultural and related interventions to the poor in the farming and fisheries sector.

Writer: Ela Arciaga, SAAD NPMO PR & Communications Officer

Photos: Jean Amoloza, SAAD NPMO PR & Communications Officer