The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration (OVCA), in collaboration with the Human Resources Development Office (HRDO), conducted a three-batch workshop on effective oral and written communication for OVCA employees. The sessions were held at the College of Public Affairs and Development (CPAF) on October 18, November 25, and December 2, 2024.

The workshop aimed to enhance the communication skills of OVCA employees as part of HRDO’s initiative to support professional growth and development. This initiative followed the HRDO’s earlier webinar, “Communicate with Impact: Enhancing Written and Oral Communication,” held on May 17, 2024.

Representatives from the OVCA Main Office, Business Affairs Office, Accounting Office, Cashier’s Office, Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat, Human Resources Development Office, Records Management Office, and Supply and Management Office participated in the training. 

Rolando T. Bello, Vice Chancellor for Administration, emphasized the importance of communication in delivering quality service and building connections with clients. “[Communication] really helps na i-project what we do [and] what we’re supposed to deliver sa mga clients natin. I think that is how we reach out and how we make an impact on our clientele,” Bello said.

Rhodora Ramonette de Villa-Custodio, a faculty member at the Department of Educational Communication of the College of Development Communication, served as the workshop resource person.

The sessions covered clear and effective written communication, focusing on the 7Cs of communication, principles of formal letter and email writing, and professional dos and don’ts.

The workshop also tackled oral communication skills, including active listening, effective conversation, presentation skills, negotiation, facilitation, conflict management, and phone etiquette.

According to De Villa-Custodio, the training emphasized building confidence in both written and oral communication, as identified in the training needs assessment.

To address this need, De Villa-Custodio advised participants to know who they are communicating with and what their purpose is for communicating. 

“Kung ano man ung reason mo roon, even if it’s for information or for persuasion. Basta alam mo kung sino yung kausap mo at kung ano yung reason mo for communicating, you should be able to get your message across,” she said.

(Whatever your reason is, as long as you know who you are communicating with and your reason for doing so, you should be able to get your message across.)

In conclusion, De Villa-Custodio summed up communication in one word: life. She explained, “Kasi you cannot live without communicating. Whether it’s on a personal level or with others, it’s something you simply can’t live without. It’s truly that important in our daily lives,” she said.

HRDO is preparing for the full implementation of its Learning and Development (L&D) caravans across the university, which will cater to a broader range of stakeholders in the coming years. As part of this initiative, effective oral and written communication training is expected to be rolled out to other units as well.

For those interested in the training, HRDO welcomes requests and inquiries through [email protected] (Yra E. Bautista)