The University of Northern Philippines (UNP), through the University Information Office (UIO), held a training workshop for College Information Coordinators (CIC) on March 4 at the UNP Tadena Hall.

 With the theme “Leveraging Skills and Talents to Improve Information Dissemination in UNP,” the workshop aimed to enhance the CICs’ skills in writing, journalism, technical device handling, and media content creation. UIO officers facilitated the program to help participants improve their services and adapt to modern communication demands.

In his inspirational message, Vice President for Finance and Administration Albert Tejero, who represented UNP President Dr. Erwin Cadorna, emphasized the important role of CICs in campus-wide information dissemination. He highlighted their responsibility in combating misinformation and adapting to the rapid advancements in digital technology and encouraged participants to embrace these changes and continuously improve their skills.

The workshop featured four key topics delivered by UIO staff. The first session, led by Ms. Rocelle Villanueva and Mr. Johnny Allagadan Jr., focused on relearning news writing. They discussed the structure and elements of news writing, functions, and technical considerations for creating effective articles from an information coordinator’s perspective.

 The second lecture, delivered by UIO Director Dr. Irene Abigail Guerrero, tackled the responsible use of artificial intelligence (A.I). She highlighted ethical considerations and limitations of A.I usage and identified the tips for identifying AI-generated content while stressing relevance in enhancing work outputs without complete reliance on it.

The third session covered social media and reels by Mr. Al  Palomas and Ms. Celeste Bianca Pajaro. They provided practical training on using various social media platforms and videography techniques while emphasizing the importance of adapting to social media trends for faster and more effective information dissemination.

 Lastly, Mr. Johnny Allagadan Jr. and Mr. Noelle Jnyx Tacas led a session on photography techniques, focusing on capturing impactful images to support factual reporting. They discussed proper angling, composition, and other technical aspects important for fieldwork.

The seminar aimed to equip CICs with advanced skills to navigate digital media effectively to produce accurate and high-quality content. It also sought to strengthen the flow of truthful information among University stakeholders while ensuring that CICs remain adaptable in a digitally driven society.

Article by Kennedy Jetajobe, Photo by Joel Tipon.