Withstanding the blazing heat of Los Banos, our team went into a journey in the outskirts of the municipality to find the Barangay that we are looking for, Barangay Bayog. All of us are quite nervous but at the same time excited because we are not familiar about what we are heading to and what we will encounter when we are in the community. But, with our gift of extroversion, we managed to interact with several Los Banenses and we managed to go to our destination safely.
At that moment, we were amazed on what we have seen.
The barangay hall is situated in the shore of Laguna de Bay wherein we saw the soothing waves of the bay produces with the view of the scenic Mt. Makiling in the background. It was indeed a temporary sight of relief from the stress we dealt with in the university.
We are warmly welcomed by the barangay staffs there with their bright smiles, and we also met one of the barangay kagawads who was very enthusiastic to us at that time. Right away, we interviewed the barangay secretary to get the information that we want to get for the community directory and she gave it to us right away.
With our experiences, we learned a lot of things hand-in-hand on data gathering, and here are some tips that our group can share to the future development communicators in-training when it is their time to expose themselves in the community:
1.) Ask for directions. If you are not sure to where your site is situated; ask for directions from the people in the vicinity.
2.) Practice professionalism. Always come prepared with a letter of intent that will be given to the specific office. Moreover, if you are going to inquire for information; it is appropriate to personally visit the site rather than asking it online through messenger or other social networking sites. Introducing yourself and wearing your school ID is likewise encouraged.
3.) Respect their time. Wait until the specific person you intend to visit is ready to entertain your inquiries, most particularly if you did not set an appointment with him [her] beforehand.
4.) Respond accordingly. There are instances that people from the site will ask you questions with regard to your intention of visiting them. Answer them accordingly with respect in order for you to build rapport. Consider the chance already of going back to that site to gather more in-depth details. Hence, establishing a rapport with them will be of great help.
5.) Be polite. Greet the persons that you will meet in the course of your data gathering specifically those persons you’ve asked for directions and the people from the site itself. Always remember to say “thank you” after your visit and/or inquiry. Do not be too demanding. Ask them politely of the necessary data you need and if ever they refused to give a particular information; respect their response and try to just ask for suggestions to where it could be found.
We truly enjoyed the overall data gathering experience. As development communicators in-training, it is indeed a vital part of the development process. With that in mind, we should establish a good grasp of fundamental data gathering techniques for us to be able to properly address the needs of the marginalized communities, and give fact-based solutions to alleviate their present state.
Media Sources:
https://pngtree.com/free-png-vectors/notepad
https://www.vexels.com/png-svg/preview/147918/photo-camera-vector
https://www.facebook.com/officialbarangaybayog/photos/a.53591895653 1223/2151053888351047/?type=1&theater
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