Feed Us...!

"Feed us with something we really can digest!"

We usually hear this from the target audience whenever we go out on information, education, communication and advocacy (IEC/Adv) campaigns.

They actually mean, ISULTI KANA KANAMO GINAMIT ANG AMOANG KAUGALINGONG PINULONGAN.

A common call that basically stems from the very fact that most, if not all of the IEC/Adv materials being used by government agencies (GAs) and non-government organizations (NGOs) these days, are written and/or reproduced in English, Filipino, or in other tongues.

Terribly hard to digest, especially on the part of community-based audiences.

For instance, it took Mr. and Mrs. Nestor and Susan Pahente of Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City almost four years to perfect the use of a certain natural family planning method despite the series of trainings/seminars they both had because everything was done in English.

Another instance, a group of farmers in Agusan del Sur had to suffer from tremendous losses even after attending a month-long training on modern farm technology somewhere in Luzon because their trainers were talking in Filipin. All of the materials they hauled home were in English or Filipino.

In Cagayan de Oro City alone, we see a lot of public utility drivers being reprimanded and/or apprehended by traffic officers for various violations despite the presence of so many traffic signs along the road. Why? Because most of these drivers do not understand those signs. Tan-awa ra gani Bai, duna bay traffic signs diha nga binisaya?

I have seen one traffic sign somewhere in Bukidnon saying "PAGHINAY KAY DINHING DAPITA DAGHAN NA ANG NAMATAY" This is the kind of IEC/Advocacy material that we really need. Klaro, masabot, modulot sa utok bisan sa tawo nga minus og pamoot, di ba?

If you need some help, text : translation your name and office your message and send to 0909-6555396 or email : jdelpf@yahoo.com.