MOJO: Sharing Stories, Creating Possibilities

July 19, 2019

Together with other participants from different colleges and universities in the country, Bachelor of Arts in Communication (BACOMM) students from STI Colleges Cubao and Caloocan participated in the Mobile Journalism Workshop of ABS-CBN’s Happinews Project, an initiative that encourages every Filipino to share positive stories online.

Hosted by Gretchen Ho, Jeff Canoy, and KaladKaren, the event was held on July 11, 2019 at Cinema 5 of Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Pasig City.

With the insightful and thought-provoking talk of Yusuf Omar, award-winning international journalist and Co-founder of Hashtag Our Stories, an initiative that is committed to equipping people in underserved communities with mobile journalism (mojo) skills to help them tell their stories, students had a deeper understanding of mobile journalism which is undeniably relevant in today’s digital age.

They also got the chance to explore KineMaster and Quik, mobile video editors that are designed to help users create fun and catchy content for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

The workshop taught me that being a mobile journalist does not mean that you have to own a high-end cell phone or gadget. It made me realize that through social media, a student like me can make a positive difference by simply sharing stories that will inspire and touch people’s hearts.

Moreover, the attendees shared positivity by writing their thoughts on the freedom wall, taking photos with their friends in the photo booth area, and partaking in exciting games.

I am really grateful because the event helped me realize what I need to improve on to become a better communicator.

The involvement of the students in the said workshop and university tour of the Happinews Project at STI College Ortigas-Cainta on March 13, 2019 as well as the activities before and during the Midterm Elections 2019 are part of STI and ABS CBN’s continuous partnership in nation-building.