TACLOBAN
CITY,
Leyte – Believing that there is a need to professionalize the
information and communication service in Region 8, the Philippine
Information Agency 8 recently signed a memorandum of agreement with
the Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Education and
the Asian
Development Foundation College.
The agencies
mentioned, all commit to provide a venue where the media
practitioners, the information officers and the advisers of school
publications will have the chance to pursue a degree in Bachelor of
Arts in Freelance Journalism or Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting.
It has been observed
that not all media practitioners in the Region had formal training in
journalism. The same is true with the information officers in some
government agencies and local government units. In schools, some of
the advisers of the school publications have had formal training in
Journalism so they are not really adept in teaching the students about
school publications.
The target students,
most of whom are already working, need not worry that they will be
absent from their classes because the curriculum for this special
courses was designed in such a way that they need not go to school
everyday. This is the work-based method of learning. So the student
can pursue her education and continue working at the same time.
A brainchild of PIA 8
Director Olive Tiu, the project was immediately supported by CHED 8
Director Ma. Rita Ortiz and DepEd 8 Director Sol Matugas. Dr. Edward
Chua of the
Asian
Development
Foundation
College
accepted to be the service provider and to make it easy, financially,
to the students by charging minimal fees.
Director Tiu is
grateful that these agencies have the same vision of professionalizing
the media who is tasked of providing the right information to the
people. Well informed people are empowered people and when people are
empowered, development of a community is not remote, Director Tiu
said.
Director Tiu is
calling on media practitioners, information officers and advisers of
school publications to enroll in this special course at Asian
Development Foundation College. Those who would like to enroll may
get a certification from PIA so that ADF College will accept them in
the special course.
