DUMAGUETE CITY, June 4 (PIA) -- A group of young leaders in Dumaguete City has formulated measures to provide alternative learning methods to school children in their barangay under the "new normal."
Brgy. Poblacion 8 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Chairperson Renz Macion disclosed that their SK council came up with the E-Skwela project which utilizes both online and offline approaches to ensure that a child’s learning will continue despite the threat of COVID-19.
Macion shared this during his interview with Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) Sec. Martin Andanar over the Laging Handa Network Briefing Program aired at Radyo Pilipinas recently.
The SK official noted that the gap of inequality between privileged and underprivileged children became more recognizable with the COVID-10 pandemic.
“People are so focused on online initiatives tapos nakakalimutan natin na andaming kabataan na walang access online (we have forgotten that a lot of young people still has no access online),” Macion told Andanar during the interview.
This prompted the SK council to come up with a two-prong approach using online and offline platforms.
“In the offline approach, we will be doing house-to-house. We have already identified volunteers in our barangay. Pupunta kami sa bahay-bahay to distribute module sa kanila (We will go to their houses to bring their modules to them). Also, to encourage more our learners, every month magkakaroon po kami ng incentives for that (We will also provide incentives every month to encourage our learners to study),” Macion said.
Aside from this, the SK council chairperson also cited plans to establish a study hub within their barangay for students, noting that majority of students in their barangay have no access to internet.
For now, the SK council of Brgy. Poblacion 8 is re-framing their budget allocation so they fund and push through with this program.
Macion added that the E-Skwela is one of their projects under its COVID-19 Response Program called “KK para sa KK” which means Kabalikat sa Kalusugan para sa Katipunan ng Kabataan.
This initiative was originally intended to raise awareness about antibiotics, but was later expanded due to the threat of COVID-19.
Under this program, an information drive will be conducted in the community to inform the residents about this new strain of corona virus including the do's and don’ts.
They also launched a mobile palengke as an avenue to also educate their constituents about the global pandemic and also on antibiotic resistance.
“It's an underlying problem na na-realize namin kasi nga napakaparanoid namin dito. Konting ubo lang umiinom kaagad sila ng antibiotic so dapat malaman nila na iba ang virus at bacteria. Kung parati silang umiinom ng antibiotic hindi nila alam kung how our body actually works. That’s why have actually campaigned for it (It is an underlying problem. We realized people here are getting paranoid. They are taking antibiotics even though they are experiencing light coughs. They should be aware how their body reacts to antibiotic. That’s why we are doing the information campaign),” Macion explained.
Aside from this, Macion also spearheaded a fundraising drive to give assistance to daily wage earners in Dumaguete City.
The funds collected reached over P100,000 and this benefitted 800 families in the city.
The group also provided vegetables to lactating mothers to keep them nourished while breastfeeding their babies.
With this, Andanar lauded Macion and the SK Council of Brgy. Poblacion 8 for their initiatives.
Macion also made a call to young people in the city to work for the betterment of the community.
“To my fellow youth out there, we must take advantage of what we have right now. Let’s connect with each other. Sabi nila ang kalaban natin ang virus. Ito ang tamang panahon para tayo magkaisa, magkahiusa ta, magtinabangay ta (They say our enemy is the virus. This is the right time to be united. Let’s help each other). No matter how hopeless we feel, still we need to believe that really, the hope lies on the youth of our nation,” Macion said. (ral/PIA7-Negros Oriental)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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