Angara visits CamSur, extends aid to schools

By Annalyn Gallego

To extend aid and assistance to students and teachers greatly affected by the series of typhoons that hit Camarines Sur, the Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, together with CamSur Governor Luigi Villafuerte and CamSur 2nd District Congressman Lray Villafuerte, personally visited various schools and institutions in the province on December 2, 2024.

On their first itinerary, Secretary Angara led the inauguration of the CamSur SDO Learning and Development Center located at Isarog Village, Del Rosario, Pili. This new learning facility will serve as the centralized learning venue for the training and learning interventions of the teachers, school heads, instructional leaders, and non-teaching employees within the division.

This followed his visit to Rodriguez National High School where he explored the school’s ICT Hub—a key initiative of the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur. Upon seeing firsthand the modern classroom, Secretary Angara emphasized the need to modernize the learning method of the learners and provided license to Khan Academy, a set of online tools that help educate students. He shared, “Andito po kami para sumoporta kila Gov, Cong, at sainyo my beloved DepEd family. We want to know ano po yung mga pangangailangan ninyo, pano namin kayo matutulungan at masusuportahan. Definitely, sang-ayon kami dun sa nakikita nila Cong Lray na digital technology. Yan din ang utos ng ating mahal na pangulo that we must learn to bridge the digital divide.”

“Yung pagkukulang dito sa ating bansa, hindi lamang sa classroom, sa teacher, sa resources, kundi dito sa digital skills. Kapag di natin nabigyan ng digital skills ang mga bata, siya ay maiiwan sa darating na panahon. Kaya sang-ayon ako sa focus sa digital technology at makakaasa po sila na magdadamihan pa ang mga computers, ang mga software, ang mga Starlink na naumpisan na po nila. ‘Pag sama-sama po tayo, mas marami tayong magagawa, mas marami tayong matutulungan,” added Secretary Angara.

Secretary Angara also visited other schools in the province including Gainza Central School, Minalabac National High School, and Bula Central School, all of which were greatly affected by the recent typhoons. Being submerged in floodwater, their learning equipment was severely damaged, and some were even totally washed out.

In response, stakeholders from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) extended their support. The UNICEF has supported the school district of Gainza with teachers’ kits, students’ kits, school in a box, Early Childhood Development (ECD) kits, and recreation kits. On the other hand, the USAID has also provided learning kits to students and teachers of Bula Central School under their ABC+ funded program.

“The US government continues to work with the Philippine authorities to help typhoon-affected Filipinos on their road to recovery. Kasama po sa suporta ng USAID sa atin was our educational response we are providing to Bicol like kits for individuals, for the kindergarten to Grade 3, and kits for the teachers. Kasama po dito yung white board kasi nalaman po namin na nabasa po lahat ng mga blackboard and green boards po natin. Ang amin pong objective is for all of the learners and teachers to be able to go back to teaching and learning right away,” said Ina Aquino, Chief of Party from ABC+ USAID.

With all gratitude, Janet Raña, a teacher at Bula Central School, shared, “Salamat po sa USAID, sa mga learning kits na natanggap mi po ngunyan para sa mga aki po. Salamat pong maray sa mga tabang na pigtao nindo sa Bula Central School. Salamat po ki Secretary Angara sa tabang po na 100, 000 pesos and dakol na po ang mababakal kaini especially printers na talagang magagamit kang mga teachers para sa mga worksheets and mga paperworks. Sa tabang po nindo, siguradong makaka-recover po kaming mga teachers and mga students.”

Secretary Angara also provided tablets, laptops, and cash donations to the affected schools. After the initial visit, Secretary Angara and the Provincial Government now plan to provide modern technologies and establish elevated classrooms in these flood-prone schools to support the students and teachers recover and thrive on education. AG

DEPED SECRETARY VISITS CAMSUR - Camarines Sur Gov. Luigi Villafuerte and his father, 2nd District Cong. LRay Villafuerte and other provincial officials warmly received DepEd Sec. Sonny Angara and his entourage last Dec. 2, 2024 when he visited selected public schools severely affected by the recent floodings caused by a string of strong typhoons in the province. He, likewise, inaugurated the CamSur SDO Learning & Development Center at Del Rosario, Pili and conducted ocular visits to the Rodriguez National High School, Gainza Central School, Minalabac National High School, and Bula Central School. His team also delivered tablets, laptops, and cash donations while UNICEF and USAID turned over teachers' kits and students' kits to replace school equipment and supplies utterly destroyed and damaged by the series of calamities. Sec. Angara also assured the public that new infrastructures and technologies will rise in the province soon.

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