Tubod, Lanao del Norte – Writing news articles and taking quality photos are necessary skills for any media practitioners. Like any skills it should be honed and practiced to gain expertise and become adept journalists.

Participants of the News Writing and Photojournalism workshop exercise their journalistic skills during the one-day training organized by the provincial government. Tapped to give his expert advice to aspiring and budding journalists was Bobby Timonera, a renowned journalist and multi-awarded photographer. Presently, Timonera is also the editor of online news provider MindaNews..

“Write to inform not to impress” Timonera stressed. “One should be creative, to think first what to shoot and what to write and to constantly practice”, Timonera added.

The MindaNews editor presented in the one day workshop the basics of news writing and photo-journalism. Through his in depth knowledge on photography and his extensive experience as a journalist, Timonera gave useful tips on how to be effective in both fields.

The participants came from different offices in the provincial government particularly those that are in the frontline of government services. The seminar stressed the need for government to inform the people of the various services offered by its national and local line agencies.

“We need to tell our constituents that we are doing something on their concerns, that their government is working for them and the best way to do this is through the mass media”, Information Officer Lyndon Calica said. mc/vnl