By: Delaila Irma T. Calindas, Project Technical Staff II

The Commission on Higher Education–Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (CHED-UniFAST) Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) successfully conducted the third episode of this year’s Skills Enhancement and Employee Development (SEED) Project on August 22, 2025, via Zoom.

Titled “The Art of Visual Storytelling: Video Editing Skills for Dynamic Content Creation,” the session gathered 68 participants composed of CHED-CAR Regional Office employees, UniFAST Focal Persons from various Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the region, and other interested faculty and staff.

This episode aimed to equip participants with the skills and confidence to produce engaging, high-quality video content for organizational and advocacy purposes. It reflects SEED Project’s objectives of fostering continuous learning, advancing institutional capacity, and cultivating agents of positive change within the workplace and beyond.

The program opened with a message from Atty. Septon A. De La Cruz, Regional Director of CHED-CAR, who encouraged participants not only to enhance their technical skills but also to use digital media with purpose—“to inform, to advocate, and to inspire,” in support of UniFAST’s mission.

Ms. Jezeny O. Laoyan, Lead Regional Coordinator of CHED-UniFAST CAR, then introduced the resource speaker, Mr. Mishael M. Valdez, faculty of the College of Information Technology and Computer Science at the University of the Cordilleras.

Mr. Valdez began with the fundamentals of visual storytelling, highlighting its flexibility and adaptability depending on the medium (short-form or long-form) and intent. He walked participants through the three phases of production—pre-production, production, and post-production—and introduced a range of editing tools with their features and comparisons.

The latter half of the session focused on a practical walkthrough of CapCut, a widely used and accessible editing tool popular among digital content creators and social media influencers. Participants actively engaged during the open forum, raising questions and clarifications to deepen their learning.

The program concluded with closing remarks from Dr. Bernadette C. Pal-ec, Education Supervisor II and CHED-CAR UniFAST Focal Person, who underscored the value of continuously developing new skills to strengthen higher education services.

Launched in 2022, the SEED Project is a regional initiative of CHED-UniFAST CAR designed to strengthen the professional capabilities of UniFAST Focal Persons and Regional Coordinators by equipping them with relevant knowledge and skills to effectively support their institutions’ programs and initiatives.

This episode marked the 21st installment of the SEED Project series since its inception—reaffirming CHED-UniFAST CAR’s unwavering commitment to continuous learning, capacity-building, and the advancement of higher education services across the Cordillera region.