AWR trains Adventist broadcasters in Davao

November 20, 2014 • in News & Events

Training participants posed for souvenir shot with organizers and presentors.

Forty-nine participants from all over Mindanao and Visayas convened for a two-and-a-half days training at the DM Conference Hall in Davao City on November 14-16.

Mr. Greg Scott, Senior Vice President of the Adventist World Radio  (AWR) headquarters in Maryland, USA; Dr. Surachet Insom, Director, Adventist World Radio Asia/Pacific; and Mr. Anniston Mathews, Program Director of the Adventist World Radio Asia/Pacific region in Bangkok, Thailand came all the way to Davao for the much-awaited event for the Adventist Broadcasters.

Presenters and speakers emphasized on the importance of speaking and listening in radio. As Pastor Donald Zabala, Director of Communication/PARL of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Visayas, puts it, “Oftentimes, we are not able to hear that still small voice because we are so preoccupied with other things! People are listening to us–whether we like it or not!”

Meanwhile, participants were divided into groups to experience hands-on scriptwriting and production. Others made way to parks and malls for the “vox pop” training requirement. While others confessed that it was a work they thought would be simple, the participants agreed that with this training, they become more aware of their responsibilities as Adventist broadcasters.

“Personally, I am very happy to have availed of this training. I know this is to equip me with my responsibilities in the place where I work,” says Elpidio Ulgasan, a volunteer broadcaster at DXME-FM in Mati City, Davao Oriental.

“We think that because we are broadcasters, we should always speak and we don’t want to listen,” emphasized Dr. Surachet.

Training participants listening to Dr. Surachet’s presentation.

Adventist church-operated stations in Mindanao, namely: DXBP-FM in Bagontaas, Bukidnon; DXMC-FM in Iligan City; DXME-FM in Mati, Davao Oriental; DXHR-AM/DXIM-FM in Butuan City; and the newest station in Tagum City, Davao del Norte–DXHT-FM; and DXCR-AM in Valencia, Bukidnon is part of the Voice of Hope network. Five of these 6 stations received a mobile recorder to be used in their production.

Station managers with organizers and presenters.

“We will continue to help and support you here in the Philippines. We will come for another training soon,” commits Greg Scott.

During this event, Pastor Nelson Paulo, Director of Communication/PARL of the Adventist Church headquarters in Mindanao, officially endorsed the Cebuan production of AWR from Cagayan de Oro City to Davao City. Scott acknowledged this transition as the Adventist Media Davao will now produce Cebuan language for AWR.

AWR is the official radio arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, while Adventist MEDIA is a service department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Davao region.