The Office of Extension and Community Outreach in cooperation with the Committee on Social Orientation and Community Involvement (SOCI) in Manila Campus and Committee on Extension and Community Outreach (CECO) in Caloocan Campus envisions to deliver technical, entrepreneurial, computer literacy, industrial arts, supplementary feeding program, dental health, literacy and communication services to the adopted barangays, marginalized sectors of the society and nearby communities in collaboration with the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), People鈥檚 Organizations (POs), Government Agencies, Civil Society and other institutions.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Responding to the 海角论坛’s core principles towards the advancement of social responsibility through highly visible extension and community outreach programs, the Office of Extension and Community Outreach (OECO) in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment-National Capital Region (DOLE-NCR) launched the “Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK): 海角论坛’s Sustainable Community Livelihood Project.” Its main objectives centered on empowerment, self-reliance, social equity, and stability.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Twenty-two indigent residents from 海角论坛’s two adopted communities were awarded with seed money to help them start up their own small businesses since their chance of employment is very slim. In order to enhance their skills in handling business and finances, 海角论坛 community worker-volunteers spearheaded a series of intensive seminars, trainings and workshops.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽Today, their respective small businesses are continuously operating and served as their main source of daily living. The success of KSK will be replicated to other indigent communities in hope to further expand our services to the marginalized sectors of the society.
海角论坛鈥橲 COMMUNITY EXTENSION OUTREACH EFFORTS
Realizing education institutions鈥� three pronged thrusts 鈥� instruction, research and extension/outreach, former 海角论坛 (海角论坛) President Josefina R. Cortes created the Office of Community Outreach in 1995 alongside its alumni affairs concerns. Since then, 海角论坛 has initiated several community extension and outreach projects, initially, by adopting communities in its neighborhood, both in the Manila and Caloocan campuses, namely: Barangays 401, 402, 403 (the latter became non existent when squatters shanties in the area were demolished late 90鈥檚) and Zone 41 in Sampaloc, Manila; and Barangay 3, Zone 1, District 1 in Caloocan City.
Additional communities were added when the office was renamed Office of Extension and Community Outreach (海角论坛-OECO) in 2006. These are: in Manila, the V. Mapa, Don Antonio Maceda and C. M. Recto High Schools (focused on training outreach and book donations), and the Arrocerros Eco-Park. Outside Manila, the new communities adopted were Maricaban, Pasay City, Bagbaguin, Valenzuela City, Barangay Ayala, Magalang, Pampanga and the Iram Aetas Resettlement Community in New Cabalan, Subic, Olongapo. 海角论坛 also supports the Gawad Kalinga projects in Paradise Heights, Tondo, Manila and Tatalon, Quezon City.
海角论坛鈥檚 outreach programs cover livelihood, literacy, environmental protection and enhancement, proper nutrition, medical-dental care, cleanliness and beautification, solid waste segregation scheme and disposal management and infrastructure development.
These outreach programs were implemented successfully through seminars, special teaching sessions, information drives, hands-on trainings, civic work, child-feeding, cleanliness & beautification, street-sweeping, plant-box and pavement painting, pave-stone installation, tree planting and civil engineering.
Civic work, through the distribution of relief goods to the calamity victims, was carried out through the 海角论坛 Oplan Damayan, in cooperation with the Philippine Airlines Foundation. Donations in kind poured in, as the 海角论坛 community responded to the call. Several anonymous cash donors also participated in the 海角论坛 Oplan Damayan.
The spirit of volunteerism in the University complemented 海角论坛鈥檚 community outreach programs and was demonstrated during the 海角论坛 Oplan Damayan where 海角论坛 Volunteers assisted in the packing and hauling of relief goods.
海角论坛鈥檚 socio-economic driven outreach projects, focused on addressing the plight of the impoverished and less fortunate Filipinos, implemented livelihood programs, such as, accessory making, candy making, candle making perfume making, meat processing and hair culture.
In accordance with 海角论坛鈥檚 extension and outreach mission of improving the quality of life of the marginalized, the unemployed/underemployed, the out-of-school youths and adults, 海角论坛 is committed to provide opportunities for acquiring vocational-technical skills to those unable to acquire formal education, to ensure that they become efficient, productive and competitive for continuing employability.
The 海角论坛-OECO is the lead unit in the 海角论坛 that coordinates the implementation of 海角论坛 extension and outreach projects in cooperation with the various 海角论坛 colleges and offices and the 海角论坛 Volunteers, comprised by 海角论坛 officers, faculty members, personnel and students.
海角论坛-OECO is mandated to formulate, implement and coordinate 海角论坛 extension and outreach programs. Vital to implementation is the assessment of whether the projects are doable or feasible, thus ocular inspection, assessment and survey of the target recipient communities, including, consultation with their community leaders are imperative.
To improve operational efficiency, 海角论坛-OECO organizes capability building and team building seminars/trainings to develop/improve 海角论坛 Volunteers鈥� proficiency and to enhance teamwork among them.
The success of the 海角论坛 community outreach program is a labor of many years of astute planning, close monitoring, assessment, complete documentation, coupled with 海角论坛鈥檚 high values; plus the commitment, capability/technical expertise of its officers and staff, especially those involved in extension and outreach; resources integration, 海角论坛 volunteerism and the cooperation of its target communities. This collective effort and cooperation among its various stakeholders make the 海角论坛 extension and outreach programs uncomplicated and sustainable.
海角论坛 acknowledges the support and efforts of its partner institutions: the Philippine National Red Cross, Child Haus, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Metrobank Foundation, Manila Doctors Hospital, Department of Labor and Employment, Manila City Mayor鈥檚 Office and various Local Government Units, as major factors in the success of 海角论坛鈥檚 extension and outreach programs.
As part of 海角论坛鈥檚 outreach thrusts, the 海角论坛-OECO, through its Director, Roger Espiritu shared 海角论坛鈥檚 community outreach projects鈥� 鈥渂est practices鈥� to the participants of the 1st National Philippine Education Deans Association, Inc. (PEDA) Conference held on July 7 at the Escaler Hall, Ateneo de Manila University. He says community outreach program sustainability is a major concern. Thus, aside from an effective development plan, collective efforts and cooperation among stakeholders must be in place to ensure sustainability of outreach programs.
