My Family Vacation

 The pandemic has also taken its toll in your family – having to comply with government’s stayat-home policy as a matter of public safety.  Being home together for 3 months or even more, your dad came across cool family vacation promos –  unbelievably low prices for international and domestic flights, including hotel accommodations. The travel period also stipulates March to August 2021. You were all elated because  you have always planned for a summer vacation far away and have been saving up for it for the past 2 years. Now is the perfect chance to plan your family vacation, given the limitless promos available. 

There are many things to consider when planning a vacation. My destination of choice is Palawan. Palawan has its place in my heart as the first travel destination I ever went to where I rode a plane. And what better way to say goodbye to the pandemic than to re-visit some old memories. Here is how I would plan that hypothetical vacation with my family:

A mind map of my travel. This is the gist of my plan.

The itinerary of our plan. Palawan is well-known for their beaches. The Underground River is also the most famous destination that everyone must see.

Developing a Message and a Public Health Campaign

 For our Risk, Disaster, and Humanitarian Communication Class, we are required to choose from three topics and create a campaign from them. Armed with a stylus and my tablet, I got down to business.

Applications of Principles: A Quick Field Trip to Town

 So our teacher assigned another fieldwork for us to do. This time, we have to look for pandemic-related materials brought to us by our local government unit. Lucky for me, the answer for my assignment has been staring at me for a whole year.

Last Friday, I went downtown to visit the local mall. Coincidentally, that's also where our digital billboard was located. Armed with a cellphone, an umbrella, and a few minutes to spare, I took some shots of the billboard outside. 

In the following table, I will be answering the provided questions given to us by my instructor:

What is it?   e.g. poster, notice, memo,  art card (social media card), social media post,  flyer, comic strip, text blast,  etc.  2 points	It is a digital billboard with videos playing every minute. It features infographics as well as live interviews of medical practitioners.
What purpose does it serve? e.g. informational,  educational, entertainment,  edutainment, etc.   3 points	The material is meant to inform and educate people. From what was featured, the material is answering frequently asked questions and debunking myths surrounding the COVID vaccines.
Does the material meet its purpose? Defend your answer.  5 points	Based on my observation, the material met its purpose. However, some improvements can be done. On the positive side, the videos used were dense in information and very timely. However, people can't hear the audio of the interview. The subtitles are also either too small or nonexistent. Overall, the material did its purpose, but it has questionable effectiveness.
Enumerate HC and comm.  principles obviously utilized in the material. Besides it,  provide a short explanation that validates the principle you identified.  10 points	From what I gathered, the material utilized the following comm. principles: Formative Research  The videos shown on the billboard are well-researched and come from reputable sources (DOH). They are also well organized and can fit a lot of ideas in a short amount of time. Targeted Content While the content on the billboard applies to everybody, they are mostly targeted to individuals who are either unaware of the vaccines or are reluctant to have them. The content was straightforward but friendly, showing that the vaccine is not something to be scared about. Targeted Action Likewise, the message on the billboard is to encourage people to be vaccinated as soon as possible. The message is loud and clear. Consistency and Accuracy Finally, each message they send is presented to be consistent and does not contradict the previous one. They also feature real doctors who can provide accurate information.

Discovering Sto. Domingo: Transect Map and Disaster Timeline

A Transect Map of Sto. Domingo. Information for this map was based on a physical map in the barangay hall, as well as information from Google Maps.

I am very thankful to have met the people in our barangay hall last week. They were very kind and were willing to be interviewed. I got to know more about Sto. Domingo and its history of disasters. I would not call calamities a cheerful topic to talk about, but it is part of my requirement to discuss it with the barangay leaders.

A timeline of disasters in Sto. Domingo over the last 15 years.

Two major disasters were recorded in the last 15 years. However, flooding is still a common occurrence in Sto. Domingo. Hopefully, in the future, the canal system will be further improved, and flooding will slowly be eliminated.

Here is documentation of my stay in the barangay hall:

A Mind Map of Risk Communication Theories and Models

 Learning about the different theories and models in Risk, Disaster, and Humanitarian Communication is quite a challenge. There are so many things to remember that I could barely keep up reading everything in my module. Fortunately, we don't have to do that anymore!

Here is a comprehensive mind map of every theory and model featured in our module. Compiling it took quite some time. But at least it's easier to go back and understand the keynotes. 

My Broadcasting Guide

 
Let me be frank and tell everyone reading this that I am not good when it comes to broadcasting.

Photo by Monstera from Pexels

I'm more of a feature writer back in my elementary and high school days. So when it comes to broadcasting, I don't have that much experience. Don't get me wrong, I love storytelling and radio dramas. But those are very different from being a news anchor.

When I recorded myself broadcasting for the first time, I couldn't help but cringe at the sound of my voice. But after getting over how I sound, I can confidently say my voice sounds clear as day. Granted, I'm speaking in English, the language I'm more fluent in. But I don't stutter as much, especially if I'm reading a script.

However, I could use some improvement with my speed and my breathing. I noticed that I keep forgetting how commas and lungs work. Not to mention that I either skipped a word or replaced it with something else.

Overall, it was a fun experiment to hear me talk. But I could also use more guidance, especially when it comes to a live broadcast.

Kori Quintos: A Gem from Dagupan, Now a Desk Assignment Editor for ABS-CBN

 

Kori Quintos reporting in Marawi City. Source

Imagine you are a parent, and your child gives you an ultimatum: either she attends a nursing course and fails every subject, or she enrolls in mass communication and fails only one subject.

That was the choice Ms. Kori Quintos gave to her parents on one fateful day. Five years later, she graduated from Saint Louis University and became part of the biggest media company in the Philippines. It's safe to assume that her parents made the right decision.

A Gem from Dagupan

ABS-CBN journalist Kori Quintos. Source

It was an honor to meet and interview Ma'am Quintos during the weekends. Growing up, my household and I always tuned in to ABS-CBN for our morning and evening news. And those times, I got the chance to see and hear Kori Quintos on air. So being able to share a ZOOM call with her was a big opportunity.

Ma'am Quintos was jolly and energetic throughout the interview. She had this ability to capture our attention with her storytelling. It felt like we were talking to a senior classmate or an ate from a higher year. She was friendly, jovial, and relatable.

Throughout her college days tales, we could not help but agree that she was (and still is) someone responsible and dedicated to her work. As a member of the Tanghalan Theater Company, she had to sacrifice her free time to work all day and night. She also had to sacrifice not being in the same classrooms as her peers due to conflicting schedules. Fortunately, she survived her college year and, unplanned by her, became a successful employee of ABS-CBN.

A screenshot of our interview with Kori Quintos.

A Desk Assignment Editor for ABS-CBN

Being a desk editor is no easy task. Like a scale, Kori Quintos needs to balance two jobs at once. Not only does she lead and endorse six reporters under her wing, but she also has to edit their work. 

But Ma'am Quintos is graceful with her occupation. She strives for quality from herself and her co-worker. And when her reporter's works are featured and rewarded, she feels she has done a great job.

Pressure can get high in the workplace, though. And if it's too much, she finds ways to simmer down before working again. During her downtime, Kori Quintos enjoys watching Netflix, chatting with her friends, and playing badminton with her fellow reporters and editors. She also shared that Baguio City is her comfort zone. For her, mental health matters just as much as working hard.

It's tough being a desk assignment editor. Every mistake her reporters make, Ma'am Quintos has to step in and take the fall. But Kori Quintos embraces the responsibility that comes with being a desk editor. And every accomplishment she and her reporters make is a win in her book.

Her Legacy as a Journalist

"Hindi porke may bagsak ka—hindi porke hindi ka yong pinaka-top 1 sa klase mo—wala ka ng magiging future. Kasi sa huli nasa diskarte parin yan."

Kori Quintos showed us that success is not measured by how prestigious your school is or how many marks you earned in class. Instead, it's how hard you work in life and how resourceful you are in this cut-throat work environment.

Ma'am Quintos did not shy away from the fact that being a comm student is hard. She experienced plenty of ups and downs in her college and career life. However, she continues to strive to make a name for herself as a journalist. And she encourages every student to follow their dreams as well.

For Kori Quintos, it's all about respect and seeing other people's perspectives. In college, she met different people with different backgrounds. And she learned to treat everybody with kindness. This lesson of acceptance is something she brought into her career.

With a golden heart and a sharp mind, she inspires everybody she meets, students and reporters alike. And she hopes that every aspiring comm practitioner does the same.