_{by Almar E. Villanueva}

The resource persons deliver their respective lectures: Bam Alegre (top left); Patty Pasion (top right); Alana Torralba (bottom left); and Toni Tiemsin (bottom right).

Bam Alegre of GMA News and Patty Pasion of Rappler were among the speakers during a story conference for DILG writers in aid of the latter’s upcoming publication of a PCF Compendium. The two other resource persons were Ogilvy Media Relations Manager Toni Tiemsin, and freelance and internationally-recognized photojournalist Alana Torralba.

Around 50 DILG Regional Information Officers and PCF Focal Persons were immersed in Stories Beyond Words: A Story Conference cum Writeshop for the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) on July 11-14, 2017 at the Batangas Country Club, Batangas City.

This 4-day activity aimed at honing the participants’ eye for good stories in their development communications work.

Specifically, the participants are expected to come with up with a regional publication of a PCF Compendium containing all completed PCF-funded projects from 2013-2015. The compendium will showcase various PCF projects in the provinces, municipalities and barangays.

The compendium will feature photo essays which is in line with the conference title “Stories Beyond Words.” This is a fresh perspective in featuring DILG projects. Instead of just focusing on the project itself, the lens would now be redirected towards the faces of grateful beneficiaries whose lives have been touched, if not changed, by these government projects.

Participants discuss what needs to be included in their respective outputs during the breakout session, guided by the facilitators.

The conference touched on various topics which include Mainstreaming and Trends in Development Communication in the Philippines, Best Practices in Communicating the PCF, Visual Storytelling and Best Practices for Writing Online, and Trends in Photojournalism.