Listening closely, documenting carefully, and allowing enough time to edit: these are what it takes to tell a farmer’s story well, as 14 personnel of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program in Zamboanga Peninsula (ZamPen) who work daily with farmer associations learned in a three-day Development Communication Training.
The regional Public Relations and Development Communication (PRDC) Unit of DA-SAAD ZamPen initiated this training last September 16–18, 2026 in Zamboanga Sibugay. It followed the Development Communication Training held by the SAAD National Program Management Office (NPMO) in 2025 and 2026, in which regional PRDC units took part.
After joining the national series, the regional PRDC brought the learning to the regional staff, including community development officers, who work most closely with farmers and communities.
For Ms. Catherine Aranton, Social Preparation and Program Management Sub-unit Lead, the biggest takeaway was about focus group discussions (FGDs), a method she has encountered in many training sessions.
“Sa kadaghan na nako’g naatendan nga training nga pirming ma-mention ang FGD, bag-o para nako karon nga kinahanglan diay i-transcribe ang mga impormasyon nga atong makuha. Dili diay kutob sa pag-facilitate ug pagpaminaw ang FGD; importante pud nga ma-document ug ma-transcribe ang mga insights aron magamit sa sunod nga proseso,” Aranton said.
(I have attended several trainings where FGD is often mentioned, but it was only during this training that I realized the information we gather also needs to be transcribed. FGD does not end with facilitating and listening; it is also important to properly document and transcribe the insights gathered so they can be used in the succeeding processes.)
Her realization reflects what the training aimed to build: field staff who can capture farmers’ experiences accurately and turn them into material the program can use, not just report that an activity took place.
The FGD sessions were led by Mr. Ronald Arellano and Mr. Mark Ferolino, Area Coordinators from Zamboanga del Sur who had themselves completed the Development Communication training series. Their sessions showed that skills passed on within the program are already being shared across provinces.
In an FGD role-playing activity, participants practiced guiding discussions, encouraging others to speak, and recording what the group shared.
The participants came from the Regional Program Management Support Office and Provincial Program Management Support Offices (nine men and five women), joined by Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer Ms. Desiree D. Arriola of Zamboanga Sibugay.
Ms. Jebert Corontao, PRDC unit lead, opened the training with an overview of Development Communication and guided the sessions on effective interviewing, storytelling, and hosting. The emphasis was on purposeful questions, active listening, and finding stories that go beyond project accomplishments, such as the challenges, changes, and lessons behind each intervention.
Ms. Aimee Lou Madjus of the Regional Agricultural and Fisheries Information Section (RAFIS), a former PRDC unit lead, then taught development writing for multimedia and audio-visual production. SAAD Information Officer Ms. Ellaine Quiamco followed with a session on visual media production.
In group workshops, participants wrote scripts for long-form and short-form videos and produced visual materials, then presented them for feedback.
The workshops also reinforced a practical lesson on production. “Sa paghimo og AVP, bisan short-form video pa siya, kinahanglan gihapon og ample time para sa editing aron ma-convey nimo og tarong ang storya ug ang mensahe nga gusto nimo ipaabot sa audience,” said Mr. Ernest Baird, Information and Database Development (IDD) Unit Lead.
(In creating an audio-visual presentation, even if it is a short-form video, you still need ample time for editing to properly convey the story and the message you want to deliver to your audience.)
SAAD personnel are often the first to witness changes in farming communities, through their work with farmer associations, beneficiaries, partner agencies, and local stakeholders. Regional Technical Director for Operations Ms. Maria Melba B. Wee said this is why communication skills matter.
“Our work is not only about implementing projects. We also need to listen to our beneficiaries, understand their experiences, and communicate their stories properly. This helps us show more clearly what the program is doing and how it makes a difference in communities,” Wee said. ###
