The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program development workers in Ilocos Region are now better prepared to communicate the results of their work in the field following their participation in a News Writing and Mobile Photography Skills Training last March 27-28, 2025.
The training, facilitated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Regional Field Office 1 (BFAR-RFO1) through their Public Relations and Development Communication (PRDC) Unit, aimed to enhance the personnel’s ability to document and share the impact of agricultural programs on farmer and fisherfolk beneficiaries.
Participants received instruction from experts like Chester Carlo Trinidad of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) – La Union on news and feature writing, emphasizing clarity and purpose.
They also practiced writing headlines, leads, and articles, receiving feedback to improve their skills. Caren Grace Carbonell from the Government Information and Communication Center (GICC) in Ilocos Norte also provided guidance on using smartphones for high-quality photography to tell visual stories.
SAAD officers now feel more confident in their ability to share the experiences of program beneficiaries through compelling narratives and impactful visuals. They are actively looking for opportunities to highlight successes and challenges in their work, aiming to make the program’s impact more visible and understandable to stakeholders and the public.
One of the four DA-SAAD participants is Associate Project Officer I Fridlee O. Rodriguez, who noted that the training has provided them with the skills to better document and share the stories of beneficiaries, ensuring their voices are heard and efforts recognized.
“This training has been an eye-opener for us. As program implementers, we witness firsthand the struggles and triumphs of our farmer-beneficiaries. With the skills we gained in news writing and mobile photography, we can now better document and share their stories, ensuring that their voices are heard and their efforts are recognized,” said Rodriguez.
The skills learned are expected to improve how the team reports on their activities. Progress reports will now be enhanced with more engaging stories and relevant photographs, providing a clearer and more personal understanding of the changes happening in agricultural communities due to the SAAD program. This improved communication aims to strengthen support for the program and the beneficiaries it serves. ###
