VSU hosts nat’l devcom conference; DDC professor is new consortium president
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- Written by Jed Asaph Cortes
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Published: 07 November 2014
BAYBAY CITY, Leyte — Devcom professors and practitioners converged in Visayas State University for CDCEPP 4th National Conference on October 27-29, 2014.
With the theme "Communicating Risk", the conference brought together more than 60 members of the Consortium of Development Communication Educators and Practitioners in the Philippines (CDCEPP) to talk about risk communication, one year after Yolanda struck Leyte.
UP Open University Professor Alexander G. Flor gave the keynote message on risk communication and the continuing relevance of development communication theory and practice.
"One year after the storm surge that ended thousands of lives and destroyed billions worth of property, there is a feeling of resignation among the living. Yet, indescribable emotions of anguish, despair, sorrow linger on. At times like these, the utility of communication for hope and social change is highlighted and we are reminded of our continuing role. It's an affirmation of our relevance," says Flor.
Flor is one of the co-authors of the textbook "Introduction to Development Communication", used in the VSU Development Communication program.
DDC Professor Emeritus Monina Escalada, PhD was one of the plenary speakers, talking about her research work in Vietnam, on "Using Entertainment-Education to Modify Farmers' Perceptions of Pest Risks and Practices."
Meanwhile, Professor Rotacio S. Gravoso, PhD of the VSU Department of Development Communication (DDC) was elected as the new president of the consortium.
DDC Head aProf. Christina A. Gabrillo, PhD was also elected as the new secretary.
VSU, DDC and the Agricultural Training Institute - Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC) hosted the conference, held at the Center for Continuing Education.
On the third day of the conference, October 29, the participants went to Tacloban City, the symbolic center of last year's disaster, for an immersion. They went to the mass graves in Tanauan and Palo, paid a courtesy call to city mayor Alfred Romualdez, and visited other sites affected by super typhoon Yolanda. —vsu.edu.ph