Visayas SUC, LGU personnel study website production

La Paz, Iloilo City—Some 20 employees of local government units and a state university from the Visayas regions including Panay islands, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Guimaras and Samar have joined the Joomla! Content Management System (CMS) Training Course led by the Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) on March 19-23, 2012 at the Training Room of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 6, La Paz, Iloilo City .

Jarred Martin Clarianes of Talisay City LGU (far left) and Capiz State University's Nino Manaog get pointers on website construction from Ms. Roxanne Aviñante, assistant training resource person of ASTI.

According to Engr. Rowen Gelonga, regional director of the Department of Science and Technology Region 6, promoted that among others, DOST 6 facilitates human resource development of the government agencies across the region. Gelonga stressed on how the extensive discussions and hands-on approach will help facilitate the learning of the participants.

Mr. Rector John Latoza, Research Staff of the Capiz State University, praised the seminar, saying that “we are being taught how to make websites. According to Latoza, Capiz State University (CapSU) needs this because “we are in the process of updating the existing website.”  For Latoza, “we are taking advantage of the information and communication technology because CapizState University (CapSU) needs to keep pace with the technology.”

Capiz State University's Rector John Latoza

For Mr. Jarred Martin Clarianes, staff of Mayor Eric Saratan of Talisay City, Negros Occidental, he joined the training to "enable us to come up with interactive governance in today’s age of information and technology." Clarianes said that government units should catch up and take advantage of the available opportunities to best serve the constituents.

For her part, Ms. Teresa Arganda, Administrative Aide III of the municipality of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, said that learning website production is important for her because their LGU is beefing up and improving their initial website. Along with two others Guiuan LGU employees, Arganda is assigned to help promote their municipality through the use of internet.

The weeklong sessions introduced the participants to the basics of the Joomla applications, and also led them to familiarize with the nitty-gritty of the said content management software application. They also took part in the laboratory exercises and activities where they applied the concepts into their own website projects. 

The participants were trained by the team of the ASTI led by Ms. Emily Pagador, Training Resource Person; Ms. Roxanne Aviñante and Ms. Mitz Ann Montañez, assistant training resource persons; and Ms. Pinky Manio, coordinator.

Participants and facilitators of the Joomla! CMS Training for government employees
led by Ms. Emily Pagador ASTI's training resource person (seated, far right).