Banga, Aklan – Fifty-four student-journalists and faculty members from three state universities and colleges trooped to the Aklan State University (ASU) to participate in PCARRD’s “Saka Iskwela: Responsible campus journalism towards agricultural productivity” training.
The training, hosted by ASU, was held from January 15 to 17 in coordination with the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC).
The participants, the biggest number gathered thus far, were from the Northern Iloilo State College, Polytechnic State College of Antique, and ASU, representing 12 campus newsletters. Of the participants, 40 were students and 14 were either editorial advisers or instructors.
ASU President Dr. Benny A. Palma, WESVARRDEC Director Prof. Marilou J. Ang-Lopez, ASU’s Regional Applied Communication Office (RACO) coordinator Dr. Anna Mae C. Relingo graced the opening ceremony. Ang-Lopez delivered the keynote message wherein she underscored the importance of disseminating innovations to the intended clientele.
PCARRD’s Saka Iskwela aims to harness campus publications as channels of science and technology (S&T) information. Under the program, participating schools’ campus newsletters will feature agricultural technologies generated by the country’s research and development institutions to benefit the farming sector.
During the closing ceremony, PCARRD’s objective for the conduct of Saka Iskwela was resounded in WESVARRDEC’s RACO coordinator Dr. Alicia A. Lustica’s message: “…Saka Iskwela establishes linkages and partnerships among state colleges and universities and other sectors, specifically in developing and promoting (S&T) information through our youth all over the Philippines through responsible journalism to combat hunger, and sustain progress and social reforms, as well as promote respect not only to our people but to our environment as well.”
Since its launching in August 2006, Saka Iskwela has drawn the participation of 118 students and 15 editorial advisers, representing 27 campus newsletters in the Cordilleras, Central Mindanao, Southern Mindanao, and Western Visayas.
As with the previous Saka Iskwela, the participants were trained on S&T news and feature writing, style, photojournalism, layouting, and desktop publishing. PCARRD communication experts, Bunny A. Joven, Ric. R. Argana, Rina T. de Ramos, and Butch S. Pagcaliwagan, comprised the training team. On hand to help them was Philippine Star correspondent, Rudy A. Fernandez.
