Report by Victoria Melissa C Pulido (XU Social Development Office)
Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan’s Service Learning Program (SLP) is in full swing following its ceremonial memorandum of understanding signing on July 18 this year, attended by various stakeholders from the academe, local government, and local communities.
SLP team went on to explore possible engagements and stakeholders with the provincial government of Misamis Oriental, Pangantucan Community High School, and the LGU of Alubijid.
With the provincial government of Misamis Oriental
On July 20, lawyer Jocelyn Lood-Mateo (officer-in-charge of the Provincial Administrator’s Office), together with the heads of the province’s accounting, management information system, and health departments welcomed the SLP officers from XU. SLP coordinator Jannina Alfante led the presentation of the said XU program. For his part, Engr Dexter Lo, the newly-appointed director of the Institutional Societal Engagement (ISE) under the Social Development cluster of Xavier Ateneo, showed and explained the ISE program.
The discussion yielded positive results as Xavier Ateneo and the provincial government of Misamis Oriental sought to forge future partnerships on the field of automation and information technology, education, and policy development.
For Pangantucan Community High School
The SLP officers, together with Fr Roberto Rivera SJ, director of Southeast Asia Rural Social Leadership Institute (SEARSOLIN), visited the Pangantucan Community High School (PCHS) last August 7-8 to facilitate a focus group discussion and needs assessment with their administrators, faculty, and staff.
PCHS is one of the Jesuit mission schools in Mindanao where SLP was invited to engage in to assist in the development of the school’s curriculum. Come October, XU’s SLP, College of Agriculture, and School of Education will join forces in a collaboration to facilitate a three-day workshop on academic policy development for the school’s administrators, faculty, and staff.
With the local government of Alubijid
Xavier Ateneo Engineering faculty visited Alubijid, Misamis Oriental to observe in the municipality’s salt production industry. Engr Jolou Miraflor, Engr Mary Jean Apor, Engr Nelson Corbita Jr, and Engr Rogelio Golez were among the faculty members who took the time off from their regular schedules as professors of the College of Engineering to visit the community where some of their engineering students have been engaging in since last year. The LGU of Alubijid is an active partner of the SLP since 2014 and this partnership has evolved into a long-term engagement of providing sustainable solutions to the locality’s issues and problems. Xavier Ateneo’s the School of Medicine, College of Computer Studies, and School of Business and Management have SLP projects in Alubijid at present. Alubijid hopes to expand its partnership with the College of Engineering as the LGU ventures into infrastructure development and industries.
The LGU of Alubijid has been an active partner of the SLP since 2014 and this partnership has evolved into a long-term engagement of assisting the municipality in crafting sustainable solutions to their local issues.
Xavier Ateneo’s the School of Medicine, College of Computer Studies, and School of Business and Management have different SLP projects in Alubijid at present. Alubijid hopes to expand its partnership with the College of Engineering as the LGU ventures into infrastructure development and industries. ∎