Tag: UV1L

Last August 30, we personally went to Barangay Tadlac and asked the officer-in-charge about the information of the barangay. We had to go there so that we could gather the data immediately and we got the information directly from the source so that we can be assured that it is legitimate/correct.

Based on our experience in data gathering in Barangay Tadlac, we learned lessons that I think would help future Devcom practitioners and researchers. Below are the top three lessons I learned in data gathering:

In data gathering, you should always know about the place where you will visit/go to so that you wouldn’t get lost. Research about how you will get there and how you will get back home. What we did before going to Barangay Tadlac was to use Google Maps and ask the locals of Los Baños for directions and ways how to get there.

Second, you should also be prepared in terms of documents like letters because not all offices would accommodate you if you don’t have a signed letter. In our case, the barangay staff didn’t ask a letter from us in order to be allowed to be given data. However, it is still important to keep permits or letters in order to practice formality and professionalism.

Lastly, you should not be afraid of interacting with different kinds of people because being shy or timid won’t help you in data gathering. In Devcom, you must expect that there will be a lot of fieldwork that will push you to face your fears of talking to strangers. Don’t worry, sooner or later, you’ll get better in connecting with people and building connections in various sectors and areas.

These three lessons are the ones we kept in mind when we went to Barangay Tadlac. There are still lots of lessons one must follow in order to successfully gather data like being respectful and being curious, but generally, we didn’t struggle nor get lost even though we were very new to the place, we gathered the needed data and most importantly, we enjoyed.

By Zygcx de Guzman, Ray Anne Germia and Daniel Mapanoo

The 18^th Bañamos festival held its annual Palarong Bañamos last Saturday (September 20, 2019) in the General Paciano Rizal Park. Students coming from various schools in Los Baños participated in games and activities in the event promoted by the local government unit headed by the chairperson and mayor Hon. Caesar Perez.

Students from Bambang Senior High School, Mayondon National High School, BNC Integrated National High School, Los Baños Senior High School, Los Baños Bayog Senior High School, Lalakay Senior High School, and Los Baños National High School – Batong Malake and Poblacion Senior High School actively joined in the activities such as Buko Pie and Cake eating contest, Water relay, Human Caterpillar, Kadang-kadang, and Tent walk.

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In the said event, there were also traditional contests and games like Banca race, Hulihan ng Itik and Palosebo that were anticipated by the locals and guests.

Marigold Gutierrez, the head of the committee for the Palarong Bañamos, said in her opening remarks that the event’s main goal and purpose is to promote camaraderie between players that come from different schools and barangays.

The passion of the participants was seen in the event and at the end of the games and activities, the winners received cash prizes.

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Only a month has passed by yet I have already learned a few lessons in UP Los Baños and being far from my family has taught me how to be independent, brave and strong-minded. But aside from those (well, predictable) values, I think I’d keep PAWER in my mind until I graduate from college.

Wait—Ano ba yang pawer na sinasabi mo, Ray Anne? Networking ba yan? Ini-invite mo ba akong sumali sa business venture mo?

Nope. Here’s what PAWER means:

(be) Proud of your roots

            This means that you should learn from your past and your background. Hindi ‘to hugot ha. Everyone has his/her history, culture and story. Because of this, you must use your uniqueness to stand out and become more confident eventually. Without knowing your roots, you won’t be able to remind yourself of the lessons and the values that make you who you are. In my case, I often incorporate Hiligaynon terms to my essays and Ilonggo values so that I could showcase my culture and my home.

(be) Attentive

            Being attentive isn’t only important during class hours. This value has to be brought even in the outside world. Being open to new concepts, cultures, and ideas would help you build a castle of insights and knowledge. If you’d get the chance to meet new groups of people, do it. If someone recommended you to watch this documentary, do it. However, be mindful of all the things that you see or encounter. Take note that this one’s also a part of being attentive.

Work Hard

            In UP, I learned that life isn’t just a piece of cake—it is hard and complicated. So, what are you gonna do? Stand up and work hard! Pick up that reviewer and start studying. Grab that sponge and start washing the dishes. Life would be less hard if we all start to do something. For us to achieve our goals, we must condition ourselves to always strive for the best—not to impress others or obtain someone’s approval but to improve ourselves and learn something new.

Even the best fall down sometimes

            This might sound funny (because this is actually a lyric from Howie Day’s song, Collide) but, indeed, we sometimes fail even if we all do our very best. That is completely normal. Failing and making a mistake is normal kahit na sa exams. What’s important is that you learned from it and eventually it won’t happen to you again since you already know what to expect and what to do. So, if you failed to achieve something, get up and do it again! Never be afraid of starting again and facing different challenges again.

Regret. Reach out.

            Lastly, although you might struggle during the process of adjusting to a new environment or doing a task, you should remind yourself that you aren’t the only one who’s in a difficult situation. As much as possible, help those who need support. Reach out to the ones whom you think might need a support system. That simple gesture that you’d show might inspire that person to help others also. Spread love and support to the people around you.

            Sometimes, life might make you think that you should give up. However, you must ignore it. As I start my journey here in UPLB, I always try to cheer up and convince myself that I could survive though I’m alone oftentimes. With PAWER in my mind always, I know that I’ll do just fine during my college years. I truly hope that if anyone reads this essay, they’ll also apply PAWER in their lives—not only during their college years but also in the future when they’ll eventually decide on more important matters.

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This might sound cliché but no one could really survive in a battlefield without having weapons and a shield. In Devcom, we all face a different kind of war. We don’t need guns and artillery. All we need are just simple and handy gadgets in order to bring out the best of us.

Pen & notebook

It is essential for us Devcom practitioners to have a mighty pen and a notebook. Since writing is one of the key skills we have to learn and apply, it is vital that our ‘buddies’ would be with us all the time. Both pen and notebook are the most basic tools we need in Devcom and both will be helpful in taking important notes and data for our outputs and writings.

Smartphone

Out of all the things needed by a Devcom practitioner, this must be the most versatile and handy one. Because a smartphone is capable of doing different tasks like communicating, note-taking, audio recording, video and photo editing, it is a must-have for us.

Laptop & Earphones

In Devcom, there are tasks that involve transcribing interviews, editing photos, videos, and audios, and typing documents, so we definitely need laptop and earphones. Even though laptops can be bulky or heavy, they can do almost all the tasks that the pen, notebook and smart phone can do.

Storage Devices

Phones and laptops may have a huge storage capacity, but they are not as easy-to-use as compared to storage devices like USBs and hard drives. These can be used in saving and transferring files from one device to another. Although they might look small and weak, they could actually store almost anything—from tons of word documents to gigabytes of movies and—of course—video clips for your project.

Umbrella

No matter how complete our ‘weapons’ are, we still can’t survive without having a ‘shield’. Students aren’t waterproof as others might think. We all need a sturdy umbrella for us to be protected by the harmful rays of the sun and the cold rain. Not only students will make it through the rain, but also all of their important things like bag, notebooks, papers and gadgets.

In order for us to perform well in our field, it is recommended that we should have these gadgets and materials. But in the end, our performance as development communicators really depends on us, our skills and willingness to communicate and serve the people.