03/09/2026
ππ₯πππππ‘π ππππππ ππ ππ‘π πππ©π’ππππ¬: π¨ππ‘ π¦π§π¨πππ‘π§π¦ ππ’ππ¨π ππ‘π§ π£πͺπ ππ‘πππ¨π¦ππ’π‘ πͺπ’π₯π π§ππ₯π’π¨ππ ππ’π π π¨π‘ππ§π¬ π π¨ππ§ππ ππππ π£π₯π’ππππ§
In a meaningful convergence of academic purpose and community advocacy, students from the Bachelor of Science in Development Communication program at the University of Camarines Norte (UCN) have embarked on a communityβbased multimedia project, interviewing key leaders and advocates in the provinceβs Persons with Disability (PWD) sector to document and amplify the stories, experiences, and initiatives shaping inclusive development in Camarines Norte.
The initiative, led by Group BSDC 4B under the course DEVC 103 β Multimedia Materials Production and Management, is designed to create a developmentβfocused output that captures realβworld perspectives on disability inclusion, governance, and grassroots empowerment. Endorsed by instructor Ronaliza T. Torre, LPT and program chairperson Dr. Melanie D. BacuΓ±o, the letter was formally extended to Dr. Rex A. Bernardo, PDAO Focal Person and OfficerβinβCharge of the Provincial Persons with Disability Affairs Office β and has since grown into a series of conversations with five distinguished advocates.
Beyond Dr. Bernardo, the students conducted inβdepth interviews with Jayson de Lemon, PWD rights advocate and member of the Camarines Norte PWD MultiβPurpose Cooperative; Sylla Lamadrid Esmar, Treasurer of the Camarines Norte PWD MultiβPurpose Cooperative; Christina UbaΓ±a, a dedicated advocate in the sector; and Leandro Umerez, a community leader and voice for inclusive development. Together, these individuals offered rich insights into the challenges, progress, and aspirations of PWD communities across the province β from policy implementation and livelihood programs to cooperative development and community participation.
The project underscores a vital truth: development communication is most powerful when it centers the voices of those directly shaping and experiencing change. By observing strict ethical standards β securing consent, respecting confidentiality, and ensuring all information is used solely for academic and educational purposes β the students are not only fulfilling a course requirement but practicing the very principles of inclusive, respectful, and communityβcentered storytelling.
This collaboration between the university and the provincial PWD sector represents more than an academic exercise. It is a bridge between classroom learning and realβworld impact β one where the next generation of development communicators learns firsthand that meaningful change begins with listening, documenting, and amplifying the voices that too often go unheard. As the students compile their multimedia output, they carry forward the stories of leaders who have turned advocacy into action β and in doing so, they become part of the movement toward a more inclusive Camarines Norte.
