Bontoc, Mountain Province – The Mapua University (MU) continuously strengthen partnerships with the local organizations and communities in the Cordillera through outreach programs.
As part of Mapua University’s Cordillera Outreach Activity, personnel from the Office of Social Orientation and Community Involvement Programs (SOCIP) personally met with Vice Mayor Eusebio Kabluyen and Municipal Librarian Chamreine Casiwen who represented Mayor Franklin Odsey on December 2, 2021, at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol. The visitors were assisted by staff from the Municipal Tourism Office.
National Service Training Program (NSTP) Director Engr. Joyrence Mervin Agas accompanied by Social and Community Relations Officer Raymond Dela Cruz and Fund Coordinator Karl Andrew Santiago introduced Mapua University’s free online learning portal Dunong Lingkod website.
According to Engr. Agas, the program is the initiative of MU to support United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal 16 which is about peace, justice, and strong institutions.
He explained that the program mainly targets out-of-school youth who wish to continue their studies through the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Alternative Learning System (ALS).
Engr. Agas mentioned that the Dunong Lingkod portal would help the learners prepare for the assessment to be given by DepEd. MU’s Alternative Learning Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ALEAP) is a learning center of DepEd’s ALS. It provides Auxiliary Learning Resources (ALR) in a form of micro-lecture videos about different learning areas like Mathematics, Science, English, Health and Well-being Awareness, and Crafts, Hobbies, and Personality Development.
Kabluyen and Casiwen both thanked MU for the assistance it extended to the Bontoc community.
In the previous years, Mapua University donated books to the Municipal Library.
Also, they have been providing financial assistance to selected underprivileged college students
In support to health programs, it donated medical supplies and equipment to Bontoc General Hospital and the Barangay Health Stations in Bontoc.
The partnership between MU and the Bontoc Local Government started during the first term of Odsey as mayor in 2013. The Bontoc LGU with high hopes to widen its linkages to agencies, institutions, and stakeholders in the implementation of the various program for the benefit of its constituents reached out to the MU to which the latter promptly and positively responded. // Christy Mae Che-es & Alpine L. Killa, Bontoc LGU
