final documentation tata

8/7/2019 Final Documentation Tata

1/41

1

Barangay Bahagi:

Collective Citizen Photojournalismfor a Visual Local Government

Feedback System

Analyn Lao Yap

FA199 Seniors Creative Project

Fine Arts Program

Ateneo de Manila University

http://barangaybahagi.com


2/41

2

I. Introduction

1.1 Overview

Years of little or no progress in the socio-political and economic arenas of post-MarcosPhilippines have led to increasing citizen dissatisfaction. Throughout these years, the

media particularly, journalists, have constantly documented the chain of events of recent

Philippine history-in-the-making. With the onset of more sophisticated equipment and

technology, especially the proliferation of the Internet, journalism has become more and

more real-time and accessible, giving the ordinary man the capacity to publish anything

at the click of a button.

The project aims for photojournalism for the common man, and how images could

potentially flow from a users simple point-and-shoot or cellular phone camera to an

interactive website that could easily be accessed by an areas local governing body. In

other words, the project is an update on what we know now as the situation report. Its

ultimate aim is for intra-community problems or issues to be pinpointed and addressed

with speed, effectiveness, and relevance, using a contributed cluster of images that will

be organized and designed into an interactive system of information flow.

Additionally, the project also seeks to create a medium to empower individual citizens

into contributing pertinent images, eventually clustering into a collective collage of

pictures that will communicate the trending or general issues of a certain area. It is a

project on how an individual contribution enriches the collective and how the collective

enriches the individual.

1.2 Project Background and History

The proliferation of the Internet and connectivity, as well as the growing access to

imaging equipment such as cheaper cameras and cellular phones led to the possibility of

this projects fruition. Furthermore, a growing anxiety of the Filipino people over a

period of socio-political and economic difficulty instills a sense of dissatisfaction that is

crucial to citizen involvement in public governance. It aims to make a currently non-

existent link between the citizen and the governing body, so that the latter may address


3/41

3

the formers everyday problems and understand the status of his jurisdiction more

clearly and concretely. The onset of the Aquino administration as a new regime also

instills high degrees of hope into the hearts of many Filipinos. Today is a time when

Filipinos, more than ever, clamor for change and expect better governance from their

local or national officials.

Local governments typically conduct citizen assemblies from time to time to understand

their constituents concerns, but these assemblies occur only at certain times.

Constituent feedback is usually taken in the form of blotter entries and verbal reports.

The bigger problem is actually an apparent lack of involvement from the constituents

side of the spectrum. Most of the time, only a few people close to the barangay officials

take the effort to report a problem. A consistent medium containing pertinent data isthus imperative to spark the barangay members sense of involvement and eventually,

their sustained usage of the medium.

Throughout the years, many other similar projects have been done to promote citizen

journalism. During the recent 2010 elections, common citizens helped in monitoring the

ballot and obtaining election-related stories with the use of new media to supplement the

broadcasted stories done by the networks writers. Other similar efforts to this project

will be discussed in further depth and detail in Section II.

1.3 Theoretical Background

1.3.1 Documentary Photography

Photojournalism began as a straightforward branch of photography that was merely

news-centered (news photography), and only secondary to the news article. Frank

Luther Mott came up with the term photojournalism that changed the importance and

respectability of the photograph from being a mere space filler to becoming a meaningful

journalistic piece in itself. Greg Lewis, author ofPhotojournalism: Content andTechnique elaborates: A journalistic photo informs and motivatesIt is an image that is

created in reality, keeps a string connection with it, and reveals facts and information on

the first look. (Lewis, 7)


4/41

4

In Photographic Communication, Arthur Rothstein talks about the two approaches to

being a documentary photographer in his article, The Documentary Tradition. The two

approaches to photography are realism and romanticism, and the former more aptly

describes how a documentary photographer should be. Unlike in romantic photography

where there is a contrived notion of reality, realism believes that life is so exciting that it

needs no further embellishmentThe documentary photographer finds it worthwhile

and satisfying to use his camera in immortalizing the common lives of ordinary people.

From these theories and perspectives, there is a certain richness to be found in realistic

photojournalism, one that is grounded on the truth and an awareness that leads to social

utility. Simplicity and integrity are critical values to be upheld in the maintenance of

ethical responsibility. (Schuneman, 90)

1.3.2 Narrative Theory: Structure and Logic

Reality can be rendered in many ways, and one of the most effective, powerful, and

humanistic forms of rendering is called the narrative. Gretchen Barbatsis writes in her

discourse of narrative theory: A good story makes good sense of the world. Put in

another way, storytelling makes arguments about the nature of reality. She also writes

that people use narrative in order to make sense of disordered, raw experience. (Smith,

332)Photographs are the medium of this thesis projects output, in order to create afeedback system for what is presumably a disorderly, and unorganized community.

It aims to create a system of specialized storytelling that entices public discourse and

involvement. However, it is a misconception that the project will only focus on content

that is negative in nature (complaints, criticisms, etc.). Positive feedback, good news, and

favorable announcements are to be equally accepted in the system, however its main

purpose is to address the concerns set by its members. A barangay does not thrive on

complaints alone.

The structure of a narrative is composed of Story (Content) and Discourse (Expression).

Deconstructing the actual narrative or plot, it can be said that events and existents

comprise the story, while discourse is composed of manifestation and structure. Simply


5/41

5

put, documentary photographs fall perfectly into this discussion because it is a visual

narrative, relaying events (actions & happenings) in a pictorial manifestation.

The logic of a narrative comes from two important elements, its probability and fidelity.

Narrative logic is what gives sense to a narrative. It is that cohesive quality inherent in

narratives that enable them to resonate sound conclusions regarding a situation.

Narrative fidelity is the reliability of the image that is created by the medium and how

faithful and truthful the story is to the social reality. This concept can also be used to

establish and justify the choice of medium of the project (the documentary photograph).

On the other hand, the other component of narrative logic is probability, and this

concept is concerned with the internal coherence or integrity with itself and with otherimages. This concept justifies the projects collective image gallery format. The manner

in which the images are presented, calls to mind the notion of narrative probability. The

images in the website must form an internal coherence and create a trending situation,

or a truthful collective picture of one particular community

1.3.3 Public Journalism

More specifically, the project is largely grounded on the principles of public journalism,

or the encompassing term for the more specific community journalism, citizenjournalism or grassroots journalism. Decentralization and the establishment of local

government in the Philippines emphasized the pressing needs of the local community.

Red Batario, the foremost proponent of public journalism in the Philippines writes in

Breaking The Norms, about how conventional journalism tends to perceive the news

storys purpose as the story itself. He calls it journalistic amorality, or the loss of higher

moral and social purpose in making journalistic pieces. It is either caused by the rigors

of the stressful press cycle, the competitiveness of the journalistic craft, or the

expediency required of a newspaper. In the heat of the journalistic process, writers and

photographers tend to forget why they are making the story in the first place. Journalism

becomes more about meeting the deadline than it is a heroic pursuit. (Batario, 2-3)


6/41

6

Cecilia Gonzales beautifully sums up the principles of public journalism in an article

fromBusiness World, she writes: Public journalism covers the news from the citizen up,

not from the expert downAs such, we learn that public journalism is about taking

ordinary people, or the nameless citizens seriously and addressing some of the issues

they think are important, instead of solely relying on experts and insiders to set the

agenda.

Furthermore, public journalism opens doors to new methods of practicing the craft.

Citizen journalism where in the constituent is the journalist, was born out of the need of

communities for pertinent information that will help them address specific problems in

their areas. In citizen journalism, the constituent takes on the proactive role of reporting

a story that he has personally witnessed or encountered.

Paired with the growing and continued use of imaging technologies such as cameras

(point and shoot, prosumer, and DSLR varieties), and camera-integrated cellular phones,

public journalism poses a highly promising opportunity with the help of new age media,

and the tools that are used in making them.

The lingering issue of medias insubstantiality calls for immediate attention, especially in

these times of its oversaturation. Batario quotes journalist Malou Mangahas on thematter: The media suffer from a poverty of purpose, he then addresses the issue by

proposing that public journalism opens new avenues of purpose for media. This kind of

participatory and in-depth journalism reconnects the media to the people, after all, of

what purpose is media if not for the service of the people? News stories and photographs

should not only be taken for the sake of covering a particular issue, this practice

heightens the risk of the story being highly detached from the real problem at hand. In

place of this, it is more important to ignite public discussion and participation via

journalism, the story is given a tangible face in the actual issue it addresses.

Public journalism is a kind of journalism that encourages citizen participation in public life by

providing them information that would help them make decisions in a democratic, self-governing

social structure. It is a kind of journalism that helps readers, listeners, and viewers understand


7/41

7

the impact of the news in their lives and how they can actively participate in developing or

building the news agenda. (Batario)

Public journalism empowers the common citizen by enabling them to complain, topinpoint problems, and to discuss solutions to problems. It basically gives them an

opportunity to collaborate as a group, shift their perceptions from personal to communal,

and finally to allow themselves to be involved in governance. (Batario, 7)

1.3.4 Freedom as politics

Hannah Arendt, political thinker and esteemed philosopher of the 20th century, zeroes in

on the aspect of human freedom as a political concept that is manifested in action.

According to Arendt, genuine human freedom is not a matter of mere free will but a state

of a people where in diverse citizens convene and act for the plurality. Men, not man,

live on the earth and inhabit the world. Arendt points out the importance of individual

men living together in harmony and order via human action. Human action is exercised

from a principle and done for the common good. It is not about man living in society by

himself, but rather, men living with each other.

At the very core of Barangay Bahagi is the commitment to civic involvement that does

not merely center on the individual, but also on the collective community where in

residents, workers, and officials alike live together in a common public space. Individual

issues of the barangay are sent and addressed not only for the benefit of a single

constituent, but also for the people around him.

1.4 Overall Project Objectives

All in all, this project aims to provide the government and constituents of a specific

community with an image interface system of day-to-day documentation, not only for

the purpose of addressing a problem or voicing out a concern, but also for archival and

reference purposes. Furthermore, the project aims to create a general picture of the

communitys status through recurring images and trending photographs. Lastly, the

project aims to create design outputs that will eventually evolve into the primary and

efficient means of feedback between the constituents and the governing body.


8/41

8

1.5 Resources

The project entailed the use of design hardware and software, cameras for

documentation and resource images, references on grids and interface design. The

project will also rely on the services of people who have already worked on previous

similar projects. The author also obtained back-end/technical assistance for

programming the website.

II. Project Background and History

This creative project takes inspiration from current DILG secretary, Jesse Robredos

term as mayor in the progressive city of Naga. His mandate in the local government unit

focused heavily on transparency and citizen feedback for efficient and effective

constituent-government interaction. Using the faster means of publication offered by

new media, Robredo modernizes information flow through websites and documents that

are consistently circulated among constituents.

The authors sustained interest in documentary photography and an active involvement

in journalistically inclined organizations fueled her intent to create this project. Among

all other fields of photography, nothing is more grounded on the truth and social reality

more than photojournalism. According to Arthur Rothstein in his essay, The

Documentary Tradition, a certain dignity of fact arises from the raw honesty in a

documentary photo. Additionally, he adds that photojournalism is an activity of

individual responsibility that addresses issues of high social utility. (Schuneman, 190)

The proper documentation and publication of small, yet pertinent problems of a

community is the key to its growth and prosperity. Incremental change must be

addressed first in order to achieve general progress in a community. Many local

government units lack information about the most basic problems of their constituents,

damaged roads and infrastructure, health concerns, small cases of bribery, among many

others. The constant documentation of a communitys pertinent issues puts necessary

pressure on its governing body to address them as quickly and as effectively as possible.


9/41

9

Furthermore, the availability of camera phones and more affordable cameras, paired

with the accessibility of multimedia messaging and the Internet, catalyzes the entire

process of information transmission. The inclusion of new media technology

reinvigorates the individuals in the community to contribute small, but significant

actions for their communitys well-being.

Citizen photojournalism for local government feedback system addresses many problems

that arise from having a decentralized system of local government. First, the lack of

transparency in government mandate, John Whiting writes in Photography is a

Language that photography is both a tool of examination and a tool of communication,

as it provides factual documentation of an event that can easily be transmitted as a visual

language alternative to the written word. (Whiting, 8) Second, the accumulation ofminor problems in the community often leads to bigger ones in times of great upheaval.

It is wiser to nip problems at the bud, rather than to wait for them to grow bigger and

thus, more difficult to eliminate. It is not a direct objective of the project to document

major consequences of problems inside the community. Such a task would undermine

the value of documenting minor, everyday problems, and how they contribute

incremental steps to the greater problems at hand.

InBuilding a People, Building a Nation: A Moral Recovery Program, a paper written byvarious professors from the University of the Philippines and the Ateneo de Manila

University on the Filipino cultural perspective, it is said that Filipinos are prone to the

kanya-kanya syndrome. The lack of a sense of community and a strong personal drive

makes Filipinos insensitive to the common good. The author believes that a vital reason

for this is that people are not reminded well enough of their roles in society and most

especially of the contributions they can offer to help their community.

There is always a tendency to think that the mere act of reporting a bad water pipe, or

sending the plate number photo of a vehicle that just swerved in the middle of traffic, is

futile. Unknowingly, these small contributions of data, when sustained by a group of

people over a period of time, and addressed by their respective local governments, can

bring about major changes in a communitys quality of life.


10/41

10

In hindsight, this project is proposed simply for the service of one of the most basic units

of structure in Philippine society, the barangay or the local, immediate community. The

effects of decentralization have given local authorities the power to govern their

constituents with a certain degree of freedom; however, many local officials do not even

know where to start working. Similarly, individual members of the community feel a

sense of detachment from political involvement, thinking that there is no way for them to

contribute to their government mandate. In the end, it is all about empowering the

citizens and giving them a chance to help themselves through an accessible means of

visual communication.

2.2 Target Audience

The proposed target audience for this project will be the members of the upper-middle

class, specifically Class B. Choosing a community that is of a very low income level may

pose insurmountable challenges to the project, as the members of these communities,

although socio-politically disgruntled, may not have the time and resources to cooperate

with the project. The project, being heavily grounded on mobile internet and having

access to a computer with an internet connection, will thrive only with access from the

participants. Those of a very low income sector may not be willing to spend time and

money on an outsiders project, when they already have existing problems about

sustenance, finances, or survival to worry about in their day-to-day lives. Therefore, it

will not be wise to conduct the initial testing of the project in a community of informal

settlers.

On the other hand, it is out of the question to conduct the project in a high-income

community such as Corinthian Gardens or Forbes Park. Although the members of these

communities would most likely have the resources and the access to participate in this

project, the level of social need is not as high. Because they live in affluent communities

that are generally safe, well maintained and well supervised, there may be very little toreport.

Therefore, it is imperative that the target community should come from the middle class

income sector. Because people from these communities tend to have many complaints


11/41

11

and comments about their respective communities, they will have the required

willingness to participate in such a project. Their average income level also does not

restrain them economically from the minimal costs incurred from using the internet. The

middle class sector also has sufficient access to the barrage of budget-friendly 3G and

WiFi-enabled phones (Nokia C3, myphone, Samsung Corby) available in the market

today. Financial constraints on the part of the author also restrict her from purchasing

affordable cameras and lending them to the community members. Therefore, some of

the community members should preferably be living a comfortable enough lifestyle to

already own a digital camera or cellphone camera of their own.

Another important factor to consider is that choosing a lower-middle income class

community lessens the tendency for the project to become a romanticism of the urbanpoor in Metro Manila. Choosing a slum area with informal settlers will deter the

objectives of the project. Instead of empowering the community, their images will be

taken with pity rather than a call to action. As discussed earlier, documentary

photography, especially when being used as feedback, should be realistic, not romantic.

After discussing the necessary demographics of the target community, issues of

disposition and personality must be addressed. The members of the community should

preferably possess a certain degree of literacy, as they will need to learn a bit of

journalistic discourse as to what kinds of images are newsworthy. The members will alsohave to follow a set guideline for uploading and sending images, so they must possess

some patience in learning the ropes of the projects technical aspect.

Most importantly, the individual members of the community under the projects

jurisdiction must possess an inherent desire for change in their community. They are not

apathetic about their living conditions, or be the kind of people that just settle on what

their potentially inadequate local government gives them. Theirs is a culture of

collaboration, volunteerism, and dissatisfaction with a community life that could

possibly be made better.


12/41

12

2.2.1 Barangay Bungad

Barangay Bungad is located in the northern part of Quezon City. It is designated as Area

III of Quezon Citys District I. Its neighboring communities are Barangay Veterans

Village to the north, Barangay Phil-Am to the east, Barangay San Antonio to the west,

and Barangay Paltok to the south. It was created on October 9, 1961 in accordance with

Ordinance #61-4860 with Hon. Matias Santos as its first barangay chairman. Barangay

Bungad was one of the first 44 legal barrios and is situated at the last residential area of

Frisco. Bungads land area covers 50.54 hectares.

The community is home to some 12,000 residents in 2,197 households. There are 6,132

registered voters in the community. Apart from being mostly a residential area, Bungad

is also home to about 300 business establishments. Several sari-sari stores, workshops,

industries, factories, and warehouses dot the area of the community. The economic

status of the barangay is Class B, for the middle class.

Barangay Bungad is a typical middle class barangay occupied mostly by residents and

businesses. Although mostly middle class, there are also a few depressed areas situated

in the barangay. Its officials constantly patrol the area and the problems usually

encountered are trash littering, damaged roads, abandoned construction sites, and stray

dogs. Blotter accounts and verbal reports are the primary mode of constituent feedback

that the barangay uses as of present time.

Hon. Ricardo B. Corpuz currently serves as Barangay Bungads chairman. Apart from his

work as a public servant, he also serves as the head of Mapuas IT Center. The author

held several meetings with Mr. Corpuz to discuss the thesis project from September 2010

until present time. His input as a public servant and IT expert have been invaluable in

improving not only the technical aspects of the project, but also its relevance in the local

government process.

2.3 Historical and Situational Study

There have already been many other endeavors for citizen journalism done by major

television networks, designers, and student groups. These are: ABS-CBNs Citizen Patrol,


13/41

13

GMAs YouScoop, CNNs iReport, Jonathan Harris We Feel Fine (particularly its

Montage segment), andBantay Barangay , a project done by a group of Computer

Engineering students from the Ateneo de Manila University. Citysourced.com, a

feedback website and portal based in the United States of America. All of them share

certain similarities and advocacies with the thesis project. These are articulated below:

2.3.1 Citizen Patrol, YouScoop, iReport

Citizen Patrol, YouScoop, and iReportare the same versions of the same thing. These are

segments made by broadcast networks to accommodate and utilize user-generated

stories in an effort to do public journalism and to diversify content. In addition, they all

aim to transmit news from the people to other people. However their content is manually

and traditionally screened. Entries are sifted through and it is the discretion of thenetwork that decides which photo story is to be published. Other stories remain

unpublished and undocumented.

2.3.2 We Feel Fine

We Feel Fine is a program designed by Jonathan Harris that resembles a series of

interactive graphs and information graphics that indicate the trending emotions or

feelings of the online community, based on a scan of all published blog entries and

photos. Cues are taken from tags and the syntax I feel followed by a keyword emotion,is used in order to separate and browse through all blog entries on the web during a

given time. The web program uses 6 different interpretations, or what they call

movements, of sifting through the same given data:

Madness displays a seemingly meaningless blob of differently colored dots of varying

sizes. Each dot stands for a feeling and the collective lot was designed to echo the

human world. Seen from afar, Madness presents a massive number of individual

particles, each colored and sized uniquely, each flying wildly around the screen,

proclaiming its own individuality. (Source: WeFeelFine.Org)

Madness provides the inspiration for the thesis projects aspect of creating a collective

picture of a communitys issues and concerns. Each image to be submitted to the website


14/41

14

possesses its own inherent value, and by the tagging system, also contributes to the

general perception of an area.

Mobs is the movement in which information is sorted by age, gender, location, weather &

feeling, and then, is graphically presented. Different windows are allotted per type of

classification. Graphs, charts, and diagrams are used to present the measurement of

information. Aside from the pictorial representation, the thesis project will also

undertake the usage of information graphics in order to make sense of the tagged data. It

is not enough to provide a collective picture, but also a graphical interpretation of the

quantitative information.

2.3.3 Bantay BarangayBantay Barangay is an award-winning project done by a group of Ateneo de Manila

Computer Engineering students.Bantay Barangay utilizes an SMS messaging system

database that enables people to report community concerns over to government

authorities through text messaging.

2.3.4 Citysourced.com

Citysourced.com is a website portal that updates real time and is also aimed at civic

engagement. The photos and reports are submitted via a mobile device. HoweverCitySourced only offers the platform for users of the iPhone, Android, and Blackberry

phones. The special features of this website include location-based targeting of reported

issues, a generated map (akin to Google Earth) that pinpoints the location of the report.

Their scope is nationwide, taking in consideration that they have users from

neighborhoods all across the United States.

Of all the previous projects discussed, Citysourced.com, shares the most similarities with

the proposed thesis project. In terms of medium and purpose, they are almost the same.

However they differ in format, as Citysourced.coms interface is more concerned with the

listing and mapping of issues. It does not concern itself very much with trending issues,

or collective imaging.


15/41

15

2.3.5 Ushashidi.com

This platform is very similar and almost identical to CitySourced.com. Ushashidi is the

Swahili term for testimony, and it was initially created by a group of journalists to

report election-related violence in Kenya. Information collection, visualization, and

mapping are the three key points of the platform, and the developers market it for

websites that need a map-based reporting system for events and situations that need

such a mechanism. Their clients include: Snowmageddon which is a local effort calling

for volunteers for the clean up of a recent snowstorm. They also have a Filipino client,

the Computer Professionals Union used Ushashidi to create TXTPower, a reporting

system for telecommunication complaints across a certain area.

The proposed project has elements in common to each of these previous endeavors but itis not exactly the same as any one of these. It shares with the major television networks,

the method of obtaining journalistic content from the common, everyday man and

publishing it as new media. However, the output of the project is more akin to Harris

We Feel Fine,where there is a trending of visual information and pictorial data. Lastly,

the projects advocacy and scope is very similar to Bantay Barangay, CitySourced, and

Ushashidis community empowerment systems via technological media, all utilized for a

local government feedback system.

III. Information Design Theory and Concepts

3.1 Barangay Bahagi Branding and Typography

Barangay Bahagis logo features a black and white camera icon that also constitutes a

speech balloon shape. The logo symbolizes photojournalism as a medium of

communication and as a veritable way of voicing out ones concerns. Basic shapes and

solid lines were used in the logo for simplicitys sake. The logos simple form makes it

easily translatable and adaptive in various sizes. Its simplicity also makes the logo more

iconic and recognizable.

The first element of the logo is the lens. It is symbolic of the thesis realistically-

grounded photographic medium that is grounded upon truth, personal participation,

and societal action. The second element of the logo is the flash unit. This element is


16/41

16

symbolic of the thesis final objective of empowering constituents and enlightening them

in the liberating habits of citizen journalism. The third element is the speech balloon; the

cameras constitutive nature in this shape represents the communicative nature and

process of the thesis. It is also reflective of the narrative principles inherent within

photojournalism.

The typefaces used in making the logotype are Sentinel and Gotham HTF. Neutraface

was used in most of the subtitle and body text used in the thesis output materials.

Sentinel

Sentinel is created by the H&FJ Type Foundry, and is described as constructed yetrelaxed. Sentinel was chosen for its mass-friendly appeal, readability, and organic

curves. It possesses a balance of structure and informality, suitable for the project.

Gotham HTF

Gotham HTF was used for similar reasons as Sentinels. Gotham Bolds balance of elo-

quence, comfort, and familiarity makes it easy for most people to read & relate to.

Neutraface

Neutraface, as it is used in most of the subtexts of the design output, utilizes the clean

edges and non-heavy appearance of this typeface. Its look is industrial, immensely

legible, and rational but it does not sacrifice the human and organic quality inherent in

the ascenders and descenders of the letters. Neutraface was used for the body text of the

manual and brand book.

This section of the paper will reference from the following sources: Designing Visual

Interfaces: Communication Oriented Techniques and Making or Breaking the Grid


17/41

17

3.2 The Visual Interface

The design of visual interfaces calls for a certain balance that enables the human to

interact seamlessly with the system. The visual interface must possess efficiency, and

technical functionality as well as an equal emphasis on effective form and aesthetics. To

forsake one for the other will compromise the overall impact of the design.

Good design defuses the tension between functional and aesthetic goals precisely because it

works within the boundaries defined by the functional requirements of the communication

problem. Unlike the fine arts, which exist for their own sake, design must always solve a

particular-real world problem. (Mullet, 11)

One of the most important principles of a visual interface is its elegance, or the shortest

and least wasteful method of solving a design problem. Elegance in an interface is a sure

testament of the developers full comprehension of the target audiences psychology and

also problem at hand. (Mullet, 17)

Barangay Bahagis interface makes certain that image report uploading can be done

almost instantaneously. The prevalence of the red upload button at the sidebar opens a

window where the user can upload. Everything the system needs to organize the system

is found here. The elegance of the solution is how the system, just from one upload, can

organize the image report into a myriad of classifications.

The adage, Less is more applies most aptly to the project, as an elegant solution that is

simple and orderly portrays the most organic way of website navigation. The benefits of a

simple design definitely outweigh its disadvantages. Simplicity calls for approachability,

immediacy, recognizability, and usability. (Mullet, 18-19)

Approachability happens when people are not intimidated by an extremely complex

design. Simplicity and strategic positioning introduces the design to a basic user, even if

the underlying system is highly complex. This is the backbone of the entire human-user

interface relationship. A human used to organic conditions will not be able to adapt to an

inorganic interface. The same is true for immediacy, recognizability, and usability. A user

will not use what he cannot understand.


18/41

18

The principles of elegance are manifested in two good practices of design: unity,

refinement. The thesis projects website will be subject to a unifying look and feel that

will resonate from its color scheme, to the branding, and all the way to the lines and

grid structures used. Refinement and deconstruction will be implemented in the removal

of extraneous lines and ornamental elements of the design.

Contrast

Apart from unity in design, a website must also possess contrast. The project adopts a

principle of contrast by scale. The nature of the website is that of a collective display of

images, therefore, by contrast, the space allocation for the images must considerably be

larger than the space for navigation. The scale of the navigation to content in the

interface studies is almost 20%. Contrast is also achieved by color (from black to white),as well as placement. When reading a web page, the human vision starts from the left

side and dwells to the right before going down again. Most of the time, peoples vision

inclines to the right. (Ambrose, 18-19)

The error of insufficient contrast is a tendency for websites with great amounts of

content. The project remedies insufficient contrast by adding lines, changing font

weights, color, and adequate spacing. (Mullet, 69)

It is apparent in Barangay Bahagis structure is the contrast of content and navigation is

stark and clear. The navigation bar is 25% the width of the content space.

Organization and Visual Structure

Organization begins with classification, which involves grouping related elements and

establishing a hierarchy of importance for elements and groups. When this hierarchy is clear, the

display itself can be structured to reflect the relationships between the elements while

maintaining a pleasing balance in the resulting composition. (Mullet, 93)

These principles of organization can be seen in both the navigation sidebar on the left

and the image display on the right. Mullet also writes that grouping in interface design is

always used to bind functional units tightly together while distinguishing them from the


19/41

19

surrounding controls. In the projects case, the functional units in the sidebar are in close

association with each other. Each classification is distinct from the other classifications

(by tags, by categories, by location, and date), but within a classification, each element

belongs to that distinct group by proximity. Classification groups differ by spacing,

dividers, and color.

The hierarchy is evident from top to bottom. Since the thesis project places the biggest

importance in the collective picture of a tagging system, it is the first classification that

appears from top to bottom. Having a hierarchy does not imply that elements must be

completely different from one another. Making elements excessively different will

destroy the integrity and general look of the website. Grouping and hierarchy are both

supplemented and reinforced when elements are visually related to one another.(Mullet, 99) In this case, using the same style of icons and typeface, as well as text

orientation, gives the navigation coherence despite contrast.

3.3 Grid Structure

Hierarchical Grid

The grid structure introduces systematic order to a layout, distinguishing types of

information and easing a users navigation through them. (Samara,22) Having

discussed organization, it was discussed that a hierarchical structure of elements is themost appropriate for websites. The interaction of the human vision between the

navigation sidebar and the image display requires an intuitive approach that is still

grounded upon a rational structure. (Samara, 29)

A hierarchical grid can also be used to unify sides of packages, or to create new visual

arrangements if theyre displayed in groups. The nature of the project website as one

that is heavily laden with navigation and grouping, the hierarchical grid succinctly

structures the groups together.

Modular Grid

However, since the website is centralized in the image display on the right, there is a

need for a modular grid to structure them. The modular grid is a framework that divides


20/41

20

columns into rows that will divide them into modules. The rigorous repetition of the the

module helps to standardize spacewith the structure of surrounding text and image

material. (Samara, 28)

The websites central focus on the images makes it necessary to create a framework for

their display. The best grid for images in websites is modular, as modular grids usually

form rectangular shapes that perfectly align with the standard proportions of camera

photographs. The nature of the grid also allows for proportional scaling, opening the

possibilities for the images to take different sizes.

Having discussed these, a hybrid of the hierarchical and modular grid was used to

structure the website. The modular grid, being too rigid and mathematical for thewebsite, is balanced out by the more intuitive and spontaneous hierarchical grid. Making

the grid too rigid will be detrimental to the thesis project, as it will make it look harsh,

robotic, and inaccessible.

The websites philosophy of being a collective communitys construct (and therefore, a

very human design) must not be sacrificed for a mechanical structure. In the end, this

goes back into the very roots of human-user interface design; its very essence is in

finding a way for humans to interact with the machine and vice versa.

3.4 Color

A monochromatic color system of black and white will be the most suitable for the

website, as the photographic content will come in varying colors and exposures.

Monochromatic black and white would be the most adaptive color scheme that will

match and be least distracting for the photographs, as the website will center on the

photographs. The central content of the thesis projects is the photographic display,

therefore no attention will be taken away from it via other interfering design elements.

However, there is a need for a highlight and accent color. Red is used as it is the color of

urgency and emergency, it was also used because of its neutrality, gender-wise. Red will

be used as an accent color to show changes due to link hovering, dividers between


21/41

21

windows, titles, and the upload button. There is a need to give contrast and attention

towards the upload button, as web uploading will be one of the source feeds of the

website for contributed images. Changes and differences in link colors aid in usability

and website navigation. (Spool, 41)

IV. Methodology

4.1 Objectives and Measures of Success

4.1.1 A Medium for Civic Involvement Barangay Bahagi aims to become a

medium of civic involvement by creating a user interface where in constituents can easily

upload and publish image reports via mobile or web upload. Compared to blotter

accounts and verbal reports, the interface serves as a more effective and engaging way to

convince citizens to be more aware of their communities and vocal about their concerns.

Through the interactive website and its anonymity, the citizen will see his or her

contribution more visually and concretely, as well as also seeing the submissions of other

people.

One of the measures of success for this objective is its functionality, how easily the

person can use the system and browse the information. For this, the project must be held

up against the standards of visual interface design. Simplicity in a human user interface

empowers an individual to use a system, instead of being intimidated by functional

complexity. Another measure of success comes from the testimonials of the parties

involved in the project (especially the barangay chairman and its members), those who

have tested the site, and those who have attended the workshop last December 28, 2010.

4.1.2 A Collective Picture of the Barangays Issues

It is the objective of the thesis to provide a medium that can serve as the collective

picture of he barangay through images. A key point of this objective is how the tagging

and trending system works. This is also reflected in how the images communicate

information when held together side by side on a grid structure that arranges them

accordingly. The vital measure of success for this objective relies on how the tags,

metadata, and the image grid function together.


22/41

22

4.1.3 Organized Viewing

The project also aims not only to provide a medium that publishes images successfully,

but also a medium with certain modes of organization that will make browsing more

intuitive, customized, and classified. The most certain measure of success for this

objective is the functioning website, not only as a dump or depository of unorganized

images, but a medium of seeing how individual images come together and be sorted in

various ways: tags, categories, date added, and location.

The author would like to present the other technical objectives of the project:

1) To receive at least 15000 hits for the interactive website

from January-February 2011

2) The attendance of at least 10 people in a basic photography andphotojournalism workshop/seminar to be organized by the author in

December 2010

3) To receive positive written feedback from the barangay chairman after

presentation and consultation of the thesis project.

4) To obtain the contacts of at least 10 community members who are interested in

taking pictures of their barangay in the first efforts for grassroots

photojournalism.

4.2 The Process of Creating Barangay Bahagi

4.2.1 Background Study and Research

The initial planning stage of the thesis project started in July 2010 after deliberating

from thesis study options in June. Before diving into the creative process, adequate

research must be made. The author read up on documentary photography, narrative

theory, and public journalism, as well as checked up on similar projects that have been

done in the past (to prevent overlapping). Medium-wise, she immersed herself in

studying the principles of visual interface, grid structures, and usability. Browsing theInternet for current web trends and image presentation also helped the author in

knowing the existing designs that were working for people. Jonathan Harris and Sep

Kamvars We Feel Fine (http://wefeelfine.org) served as the greatest inspiration for the

concept of a collective interface.


23/41

23

4.2.2 Proposal and General Community Observation

It was also during this period that author started to prepare for the proposal

presentation, entailing her to direct the creation of a medium towards a particular real-

life problem and a target audience. The authors inherent interest in photojournalism

and the karaniwang tao provided her with the initial idea of creating a barangay

feedback system. In order to confirm her initial idea, she went around various

communities and barangays in Quezon City, Antipolo, and Pasig to observe, as a

passerby, the state of the barangay and the possible concerns for feedback. There were

plenty of stray trash dumps, tangled wires, broken asphalt, abandoned construction

areas, and election paraphernalia. There was much to be reported. As much as the

interface should reflect the principles of good design, the advocacy of the medium mustbe able to address a real and pressing concern.

4.2.3 Consultations

The author has consulted with the members ofBantay Barangay (see 2.3.3),specifically

Mr. Rod Coronel who headed the team. She asked Mr. Coronel regarding the technical

aspect of functionality, as well as the proposed systems relevance to a community. In

order to confirm the idea, she consulted with Mr. Red Batario, a proponent of public

journalism, and was told that the idea maximized the benefits of technology andintegrated the value of the constituents in the process of governance. It was Mr. Batario

who then recommended that the pioneer barangay for testing had to be cooperative,

receptive, and more accessible to the author.

With regards to the back-end aspect of the project, the author consulted with the Ateneo

Innovation Center, specifically Dr. Greg Tangonan, and Mr. Jeff Jongko of DISCS who

aided in giving the author useful wireframes for the interface.

Mr. Noel Perlas, information architect, interaction designer, and part-time lecturer of the

Fine Arts Program, was also consulted on how to fuse the design and technicalities

together in order to create a seamless interface that will cater to the needs of the

personas involved.


24/41


25/41

25

The author organized a photography and interface workshop last December 28, 2010

held inside the barangay hall of Bungad. It had 14 attendees consisting of barangay

employees and mostly residents. The workshop was for the purpose of initially briefing

the community on how the system/medium of Barangay Bahagi could provide an avenue

for them to express their concerns and participate in governance.

Secondly, it was to show and demonstrate how the features of the interface enabled the

user and the barangay official to send in and browse the images more effectively, making

sure that the system was not partial to any party, and at the same time, bridging the

constituent to the barangay and vice versa. The third fulfilled objective of the workshop

was to give a basic course on photography and camera features.

Testimonials from the workshop attendees were positive. The attendees all agreed that

the medium of Barangay Bahagi was a good alternative in using the cellphone and the

Internet. Para naman hindi lang text at chat ang inaatupag ng mga bata. One elderly

attendee, Mrs. Lydia Batenga even recalled a past experience of walking in a sidewalk of

Manila near Quiapo Church and falling into a ditch at night. When she went to the

barangay hall to complain about the dangerous pit, the officials dismissed it because they

did not know of it.

Mrs. Batenga expressed full support for the project, being a photographer herself (she

used to take photos of class pictures, etc.), she recognized the power of publishing issues

and concerns in order to instigate change in a community. Mrs. Batenga exemplifies

photojournalism for the masses. One can never be too elderly to express concern for the

community.

From November 2010-January 2011, the author made regular patrols of the barangay,

taking pictures and continually observing the prevalent problems and inconveniences of

the people living in the barangay. The author also attended a barangay gift-giving session

last December 2010.


26/41

26

4.2.6 Ensuring Functionality

The technical back-end of the user interface is vital in making sure that the interface will

not be restricted to a mere conceptual project, but an actual, functioning prototype. It

was necessary for the author to ask for assistance from Mr. Bryan O. Zarzuela of

Pilipinas Teleserv Inc, for the programming and development of the website. Frequent

meetings were done to discuss the features of the interface and how feasible they were to

produce. Mr. Zarzuela and the author both discussed how the modes of viewing the

images could be improved and how web actions could be modified to make the

experience more user-friendly and engaging. The author also discussed and took into

account how the user would test the interface. They made sure that the interface was not

overly simplistic nor too complex.

From the initial wireframe or skeleton of the website, the author made sure that the

image uploading function worked and that the images came out of the website. After

finalizing the wireframe, it was time to integrate the design to the functioning prototype.

What is currently BarangayBahagi.com is the result of several revisions and updates

made by the author and Mr. Zarzuela.

The interface made use of the following languages: PHP, MySQL, and JQuery. The

website currently has 25831 hits from January-February 2011, successfully overcomingthe objective of 15000 hits.


27/41

27

V. Schedule and Logistics

5.1 Timetable of Activities

INTERFACE CONTEXT

2nd Week August 2010 Research and substantial

consultations with DISCS, and

SMART Labs.

Schedule interviews with

pertinent people in the Center

for Community Journalism

(Mr. Batario)

Last week of August 2010 Finalize the actual process of

making the website. Formulate

the wireframes of the user

interface.

September 2010 Begin making the interface

design mock-ups. Consult with

Mr. Noel Perlas.

Ocular inspection of the

community in mind.

Observations of the common

Metro Manila barangay.

SECOND PART INTERFACE CONTEXT

September-October 2010 Produce the interactive

website and test the

information flow

Meeting up with the barangay

captain to request their

cooperation, and finally to

brief them on the details of theproject.

November 2010 Design paraphernalia and work on the other features of the

interface. (Calendar and Location View)

December 2010 Finalize the website and

integrate the visual design in

the interface. Confirm working

performance.

Conduct a workshop on

photojournalism within the

community.

THIRD PART

January 2011 Testing and Exhibit Preparation

February 2011 Evaluation, Defense, and Final Documentation


28/41

28

VI. The Design Process

6.1 Design Studies and Progress

The primary task of the author as an Information Design major is to create the userinterface of Barangay Bahagi and to ensure that as a medium, it organizes the image

reports efficiently and in an engaging manner.

Design Study I

The very first version was a rough study on how the interface would basically look like. It

already had the primary tag feature, the navigational sidebar, and the basic image cluster

to the right. This rough visualization was presented during the thesis proposal

presentation.

Design Study II

The second study was an attempt to inject playfulness into the design by using different

bright colors and two navigational areas at the side and on top of the bigger frame. This

study proved to be a bad idea as it clearly overdid on extraneous design elements and

colors that were ornamental in nature. It is also apparent that in this study, the grid


29/41

29

structures were not yet well refined due to the presence of many empty black slots. The

author considers this to be her weakest study in the process, but it was a necessary

stumble for the author to realize what an effective interface design should not contain.

Design Study III

The third study was a neater approach to the interface. It also finalized red as the most

suitable color for the interface accent. The contents of the sidebar were created, as well

as the classifications for tags, categories, and locations. The presence of a prominent red

upload button was placed to decrease the complexity of looking for a small image upload

button. A search bar was also placed in this design study to give the user more freedom

to browse the information. In order to fix the problem of empty spaces in the grid, the

author decided to divert to the other end of the spectrum by trying out a symmetrical,

modular grid.

Although a vital step in refining the interface, the weaknesses of this study were that the

sidebars width was too wide and the text within it was too large to proportionally fit a

standard web browsers resolution. The arrangement of the location view was also

unwise because it entailed a list of street names that will cause a lot of undesired vertical

scrolling. The symmetrical, modular grid also proved to be too robotic, mechanical, and

boring for a human user interface. There was no dynamism


30/41

30

Design Study IV

In order to address the problem of the image grid being too mechanical, the author

designed and studied various modifications of the grid and produced a set of frames that

provided a sense of dynamism for the images. The grid also opened for the feature of a

high-priority-rating photo to enter a box with a red outline, as these are the areas where

human vision tends to focus and dwell on. The author made sure that these grids were

designed without any awkward black spaces in between them.

The use of icons was also adopted because visual association is transmitted faster when

simple images are placed with text. A gauge icon system was also placed beside the tags

in order to accentuate further the trending feature of the tags and categories.

Design Study V: Standard View


31/41

31

The final design study is a minor revision of Design Study IV. The fifth version did away

with the search bar, as it was a redundant feature that will only mimic what the tagging

feature had already done. It also included a page for project information because there is

a need to introduce new users to this unfamiliar medium of feedback. The fifth version

also included a miscellaneous category button for tags that do not fall under the three

categories specified.

Design Study V: Calendar View and Location View

However, the biggest update to the fifth version was the development of the calendar and

location view. For image classification according to recency, instead of listing links via

text, it was more familiar and engaging to present the classification in a calendar form.

The same goes for the classification according to location, text links containing street

names proved to be very mundane and non-engaging. The map emphasizes a collective

sense in the interface as the constituents familiarize themselves with the locations within

their barangay. It becomes more community-centered if a map of the barangay were

presented instead of a list of street names (as in Design Study III).

Please visit http://barangaybahagi.com to test the functioning prototype/beta version of

the feedback medium.


32/41

32

6.2 Logistics: Equipment, Contacts, and Budget

The necessary equipment for the project includes the following: 1) a laptop or computer

suited for design, layout, and photo processing. Programs used in the creation of 2) a

digital camera, for taking photos of the community for design and documentation

purposes. 3) a 3G/WAP-enabled mobile phone to test the website on the cellphone. 4) A

domain name and web space to access the website with a shorter, more accessible link. 5)

The total amount of money allocated by the author to spend on the creative project is

Php25,000. Most of the funds will come from the scholarship money she saved up while

in Singapore last 2010.

Distribution of Funds:

Php20,000 - Salary Expense Mr. Bryan Zarzuela

Php1,000 Leave-Behinds Button Pins and Stickers

Php2,500 Printing Cost Manual and Brandbook

Php1,500 Domain Name and Web Hosting Expense

_______

Total Expense of Thesis Project= Php25,000

The author has coordinated with the following groups and offices:

1) SMART Laboratories (Mr. Rod Coronel) forBantay Barangay

2) DISCS (Mr. Jeff Jongko) for information management and software assistance

4) The Center for Community Journalism and Development (Mr. Red Batario) for

photojournalistic and community involvement matters.

5) Ateneo Innovation Center (Dr. Greg Tangonan)

6) Mr. Noel Perlas Consultation on information architecture and design.

7) Mr. Michael A. Parker Thesis Adviser

8) Barangay Bungad (Chairman Ricardo Corpuz) pioneer barangay


33/41

33

6.3 Scope and Limitations

The Design of a Medium/Avenue for Citizen Involvement

The most important limitation of Barangay Bahagi is that the project is a medium or

avenue for feedback and citizen engagement. The project does not guarantee full and

immediate civic engagement in communities. Its objective is to create the system and

avenue that will push people to take that little step in participatory journalism. The

projects objective, being an Information Design creative project, is to take the

information and organize it into an effective interface. Barangay Bahagi does not

promise to provide solutions but it does promise to create an avenue to connect the

necessary agencies for change to happen.

Furthermore, the project does not promise to solve and give solutions to the individual

problems contained in the photographs the community will be reporting. It will not serve

as an organization akin to DSWS. The project may give information regarding the status

of a particular concern, but it will not be concerned in the actual operations behind

solving that concern. For example, the project will be concerned in the reporting of a

broken pipe, but will not be responsible in actually fixing the broken pipe.

The format of the content

The medium of communication for this project will be limited to only photographs;

therefore no articles and videos shall be in the feedback system. Animated GIFs will also

not be supported. Text and SMS contribution formats will not be supported as well.

The nature of the interface

The interface is primarily a collective image that can be sorted into different

classification. As of present time, there are still no social networking features integrated

into the website. Minor integrations to social networking such as small Share links to

Facebook or Twitter may be made in future developments of this project, but the author

is firm on her stand to never convert the Barangay Bahagi interface into a social

networking site. To do so would trivialize the feedback system and decrease the authority

of the website.


34/41

34

Testing Areas

The scope of the target community as of February 2011 will only be one barangay

(Barangay Bungad). The user interface system can be appropriated for other

communities, but it is the conviction of the author to perfect the system first in one

barangay before branching out to other communities and endeavors.

Additional Features in relation to budget and finances

Only one domain and interactive website will be developed. Due to financial constraints

and skill limitations, the moderation system and comment boxes cannot be developed

yet. The moderation system will enable a moderator to approve, delete, or respond to

image reports. The comment boxes are a future development that will infuse more

interactivity within the interface.

VII. Output and Documentation

7.1 Website - Standard View

The web interface of the project relies on image reports and the data found within them.

Barangay Bahagis unique way of organizing image reports is via the use oftags as a

trending device. All images that have a particular tag attributed to them can be viewed

collectively. The interfaces most popular tag gets the fullest gauge while the less popular

tags respectively get the less full gauges. Tags are Barangay Bahagis way of pinpointing


35/41

35

specific information about the image. Categories are simply similar tags that are

classified into three distinct groups and one miscellaneous group.

7.1.2 Types of Categories:

Public Infrastructure

Image reports that have something to do with public structures, buildings,

monuments, facilities, and the like are classified under this category.

Health and Sanitation

Image reports that have something to do with trash, water, cleanliness, and

illnesses are placed in this category.

Crime and Safety

Image reports that have something to do with public safety, hazards, petty crimes,and the like are placed under this category.

Miscellaneous Category

Image reports with tags that do not specifically go under any of the three categories

are placed here.

7.2 Website Calendar View

The grid calendar is an automated calendar that changes per month. Each box represents

one day and is occupied by the first submitted image report for that particular day.

Clicking on a date will change the frame below and fill it in with image reports from that

particular day.


36/41

36

7.3 Website Location View

Location View features all the streets of a particular barangay. It also shows the location

of important places such the parish church and the barangay hall. Once a button in the

map is clicked, the bottom frame will change. Similar to the calendars bottom bar, the

location views frame will feature the name of the street, its first submitted image, as well

as all other submitted images for that location.

7.4 Manual

The manual is a 37-page, easy-to-read guideline that contains and explains all the

features of the interface. It also includes sections on how to upload images, guidelines for

submission, and the systems rules and regulations. Apart from these, the manual also


37/41

37

includes a comprehensive crash course on photography and tips on maximizing a digital

camera. It was created to aid the Barangay Bahagi user in using and understanding the

system.

7.5 Collaterals: Brand Book

The brand book is a collateral of the project that presents the research, concepts, and

principles behind Barangay Bahagi via an engaging book form. It mostly contains photos

and important quotations, as well as an explanation of the project objectives. There are

also a few spreads with information and photographs of Barangay Bungad.

7.6 Leave Behinds

The projects leave-behinds include media passes, stickers, and button pins. They were

distributed during the Information Design Seniors Exhibit last January 31-February 4,

2011. These materials aided in the promotion of the thesis project.

VIII. Evaluation and Future Ventures

Chairman Ricardo Corpuz writes in a testimonial for Barangay Bahagi:

Barangay Bahagi is a promising new avenue for constituents to become engaged, active

and truly part of their communities via the process of sending image reports and seeing

these individual photos shape up into the picture of Barangay Bungad

Overall, the project was successful in creating an organized and collective medium for

government feedback. Although there is much testing yet to be done after the interface

reaches its final, ideal state. The feedback garnered from peers, teachers, fellow

photographers, and attendees of the exhibit last January 31-February 4 were all very


38/41

38

positive. Most of them commended the website aesthetics and social relevance of the

project. One of the comments from Philosophy Department Faculty, Ms. Pamela Joy

Mariano, says:

The project proves that relevance doesnt have to be sacrificed for good design.

After receiving the support and backing of many people, the author plans to pursue the

project even after the academic year ends. The author plans to look for project grants and

financial support from mobile companies and the like so that funding for back-end

development will continue. The full operation and implementation of this system to

Barangay Bungad will be pushed for, in cooperation with Chairman Corpuz.

In the more distant future, the author also has plans to broaden the scope and

appropriate the system into the other communities and barangays of Metro Manila, and

if possible, the whole Philippines.

Another promising avenue for this system would be to appropriate the interface for

disaster rehabilitation feedback and news. The system will hopefully be most beneficial

in helping out other people to help other people ravaged by calamity. Whenever there is a

need and yearning for citizen patrolling and involvement, Barangay Bahagi hopes to be

the avenue for change to happen.


39/41

39

Bibliography:

Ambrose, Gavin, and Paul Harris. Grids: N. a Structure or Pattern of Lines Used to Guide the

Placement of the Elements of a Design. Lausanne: AVA Academia, 2008. Print.

Batario, Red.Breaking the Norms: Philippine Community Media Innovation through Public

Information Journalism Show That the Practice of the Craft Can Go beyond Mere

Agenda Setting. Antipolo City: Center for Community Journalism and Development,

2004. Print.

Bivins, Thomas H.Fundamental of Successful Newsletters. Lincolnwood: NTC Business, 1992.

Print.

Cranmer, John, and Yolanda Zappaterra. Conscientious Objectives: Designing for an Ethical

Message. Mies [u.a.: RotoVision, 2003. Print.

Gonzalez, Ibarra M.Photolanguage: Philippines. Manila: Sonolux/Asia, 1981. Print.

Hall, Gary.Digitize This Book!: the Politics of New Media, or Why We Need Open Access Now .

Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 2008. Print.

Keene, Martin.Practical Photojournalism: a Professional Guide. Oxford: Focal, 1995. Print.

Lewis, Greg. "1, 9, 14."Photojournalism: Content and Technique. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown,

1991. Print.

Malinao, Alito L. Campus and Community Journalism Handbook. 1st ed. Mandaluyong: National

Book Store, 2005. Print.

McDermott, Catherine.Design: the Key Concepts. London: Routledge, 2007. Print.

Mullet, Kevin, and Darrell Sano.Designing Visual Interfaces: Communication Oriented

Techniques. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: SunSoft, 1995. Print.

Pabico, Alecks P., Yasmin D. Arquiza, and Ma Diosa. Labiste. Connecting with Communities: a

Sourcebook on Public Journalism. [Philippines]: Evelio B. Javier Foundation, 2001.


40/41

40

Print.

Press Foundation of Asia. The Community Newspaper. 1st ed. Manila: Press Foundation of Asia,

1990. Print.

Samara, Timothy.Making and Breaking the Grid: a Graphic Design Layout Workshop.

Gloucester: Rockport, 2003. Print.

Schuneman, R. Smith., and Wilson Hicks.Photographic Communication; Principles, Problems

and Challenges of Photojournalism. New York: Hastings House, 1972. Print.

Smith, Ken.Handbook of Visual Communication: Theory, Methods, and Media. Mahwah (N.J.):

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2005. Print.

Spool, Jared M. Web Site Usability: a Designer's Guide. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann, 1999.

Print.

Steele, Julia, and Noah P. N. Iliinsky.Beautiful Visualization. Farnham: O'Reilly, 2010. Print.

Van, Duyne Douglas., James A. Landay, and Jason I. Hong.Design of Sites: Patterns, Principles,

and Processes for Crafting a Customer-centered Web Experience. Boston, MA [etc.: Addison

Wesley, 2003. Print.

Articles:

Magno, Leo. "iBlog, iPodcast: Citizen Journalism Using IT."Philippine Daily Inquirer6 Mar.

2006. Print.

Enriquez, PJ. "Connect with Autistic Kids through Photography." Philippine Daily Inquirer21

July 2010, sec. D: D1-D2. Print.

"Ateneo Student Project Wins 3rd Place in 6th Sweep Innovation and Excellence Awards."Ateneo

De Manila University. 11 Feb. 2010. Web. 16 July 2010.

.

"Bringing The News Back To The People." Center for Community Journalism and Development.

7 Feb. 2008. Web. 23 July 2010. .


41/41

Uy, Jocelyn R. "Robredo Shows What Transparency at DILG Is All about." Philippine Daily

Inquirer23 July 2010, sec. A: A1+. Print.

Gonzales, Cecilia C. "Public Journalism: a Media Challenge."Business World6 June 2003. Print.

"Learning the Ropes of Public Journalism." Center for Community Journalism and

Development. 4 Mar. 2008. Web. 23 July 2010.

.

Adversario, Patricia. "Public Journalism."Business World9 Nov. 2001. Print.

Pinlac, Melanie Y. "Power to the People: On the Rise of Citizen Journalism." PJR Reports July

2007: 8-9. Print.

Batario, Red. "Public Journalism: A New Approach to Setting the News Agenda." The Manila

Times 14 July 2002. Print.

WeFeelFine http://wefeelfine.org

Resource Persons:

1) Red Batario, Executive Director of the Center for Community Journalism and Development,

the Philippines foremost proponent of public journalism

2) Dr. Greg Tangonan Director, Ateneo Innovation Center

3) Mr. Noel Perlas, Interactive Designer Part-time Faculty, Ateneo Fine Arts Program

4) Mr. Rod Coronel/The Bantay Barangay Team contacts available at SMART Laboratories, 3 rd

floor, CTC Building

5) Mr. Bryan Zarzuela Web Developer and Programmer

final documentation tata

Documents