BAGUIO CITY – To further equip the personnel with skills in the overall facilitation of activities during agency-wide events, fieldwork activities, and other similar affairs, the Department of Agriculture–Cordillera (DA-CAR) conducted 2-day training on Essentials of Event Facilitation, Hosting and Advanced Social Media Management on July 11-12, 2024 at Baguio City.
The training also aims to boost the agency’s management of its several social media accounts and pages to improve its branding, image, and credibility.
Topics tackled include Tips on Program Presentation & Formal Events as Emcee discussed by Benguet State University (BSU) professor Kent W. Depayso; and Event Facilitation and Hosting in Less Formal Events tackled by BSU instructor Ma. Lourdes M. Obidos. Both speakers are well-known emcees/hosts in local events.
Depayso covered key topics including the appropriate terminologies for program papers, correct acknowledgment of VIPs and participants, distinguishing between emcees and hosts, essential facilitation tips, and effective voice modulation. He emphasized that emcees and hosts play a facilitative, not spotlight, role in events, ensuring smooth program flow. “When you are called to host or to emcee, always be prepared and grab the chance to do so. Do not doubt yourself,” Depayso encouraged the participants.
Meanwhile, Obidos discussed four types of events: highly formal, formal, less formal, and informal, along with their respective facilitation needs. Accordingly, emcees/MCs typically handle highly formal and formal events, which strictly adhere to a programmed agenda without adlibs. In contrast, less formal and informal events involve more ad libbing and additional activities not outlined in the program, making a host more suitable as facilitator. Obidos noted that an emcee may transition to a hosting role as required, citing weddings as an example.
With this, she advised that a host must create a positive atmosphere by making the participants be involved in the event.
On the other hand, to catch up with the current trend and to safeguard safety in the social media, Jamie Joie Malingan and Redjie Cawis from Philippine Information Agency–CAR tackled the topic on Maximizing Social Media as a Tool for IEC and Social Empowerment, while DA-CAR Information and Computer Technology Services staff Joel Briones provided practical tips for safeguarding personal social media accounts and the like.
Malingan focused on strategies for creating and consuming information in the social media era, covering social media content types and posting tips. She also underscored the importance of the government’s presence on social media, highlighting its potential to engage citizens to improve governance.
Amidst the current social media trends, she also covered visual content creation and selection. Given the audience’s short attention span, she stressed the importance of simplicity, minimal text, effective color schemes, engaging and relevant photos, cohesive design elements, clear visual hierarchy, optimized readability, and consistent branding.
Further, Briones warned the participants on connecting to an unsecured network, such as WiFi connections on public spaces, as well as clicking suspicious links that may contain malwares or viruses that may potentially steal one’s personal information, including bank accounts and passwords, among others.
He also highlighted essential cybersecurity practices for everyone: creating strong passwords, using multi-factor authentication, verifying emails, attachments, and links, connecting to secure networks, activating firewalls for traffic monitoring, installing antivirus software, keeping devices updated, being aware of insider threats, safeguarding data, attending cybersecurity training sessions, and consulting information technology experts when needed.
The personnel also participated in the workshops facilitated by the trainers in relation to the topics discussed. By Cy-j E. Waytan
