MALAYBALAY CITY — The Department of Agriculture–Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10)
and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Northern Mindanao trained information officers,
media partners, and department personnel in mobile journalism on October 1–2 at the Northern
Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex in Barangay Dalwangan to
speed up accurate agricultural news delivery and help farmers receive timely advisories amid the
threat of worsening El Niño conditions.

DA-10 Information Officer Mary Grace B. Sta. Elena said the training aimed to improve mobile
reporting skills and help communicators deliver timely agricultural updates to farmers and other
audiences across Northern Mindanao. These skills can support government preparedness efforts
by helping disseminate information on drought risks, water conservation, crop management, and
available agricultural assistance.
“The two-day training builds mobile-ready communicators who can gather and share agricultural
news directly from the field, speed up news gathering, deliver timely updates to farmers and
other audiences, and bridge information gaps between government agriculture programs and
rural farming communities,” Sta. Elena said.
She said participants learned to use smartphones to capture photos and videos, conduct field
interviews, edit content, and prepare reports without relying on bulky broadcast equipment.
These skills can help communicators share field reports and relevant advisories more quickly as
farmers prepare for possible water shortages and other El Niño impacts.
PIA Northern Mindanao resource speaker Ruby Leonora Balistoy described mobile journalism
as “the new, next, and normal” standard in public communication.
The sessions equipped participants with practical storytelling skills to produce field reports and
share agricultural developments through digital platforms, including information to help farmers
prepare for changing weather conditions.
DA-10 Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan said mobile journalism gives
agency communicators a practical way to document farm activities and developments while
working outside the office, allowing them to share information that farmers need to protect crops
and livelihoods during dry spells.

“Mobile reporting helps our personnel gather and share accurate field reports faster, so farmers
and the public can get timely updates on market prices, technical advice, agriculture programs
and disaster alerts,” Pacamalan said. (Alyssa Faye F. Rallos/PIA-10/Bukidnon)