Students gain life skills through PIA iServe learning sessions

By Sally Atento-Altea

LEGAZPI CITY --- Students in the remote municipality of Jovellar in Albay acquired practical life skills and social awareness during learning sessions held as part of the iServe Information and Service Caravan organized by the Philippine Information Agency’s Albay Information Center.

In addition to providing frontline services, the caravan included discussions focused on youth, featuring speakers from various government agencies.

They addressed important topics such as media and information literacy, financial literacy, voter education, and technical-vocational opportunities.

Second Lieutenant Caryl Franchere Alambatin, assistant civil-military officer of the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Battalion, led a session on the government’s anti-insurgency efforts and the role of young people in nation-building.

“We conducted a social awareness campaign for students. This is a valuable activity because it helps them understand what’s happening in society and hear it directly from government agencies, especially in an isolated area like this,” Alambatin said.

Jonna Mae Rosales, a Grade 12 student from Jovellar National High School, shared her experience of navigating the digital space more effectively, thanks to the media and information literacy session provided by PIA Albay.

“One of the key takeaways from the media and information literacy session was learning how to identify fake information. As a student, it’s crucial to be aware so I can stay safe online,” Rosales said.

Financial literacy sessions also resonated with students like John Ronald Loza, a Grade 10 student from Barangay Maogog, who learned valuable lessons about money management.

“I learned from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas about how to grow my money, spend wisely, and save by depositing extra funds in a bank account,” Loza said.

Meanwhile, Grade 12 student Arjun Pante from Maogog noted that the voters’ education session conducted by the Commission on Elections emphasized the importance of civic participation.

Comelec Albay also facilitated on-site voter registration during the caravan.

“I learned that registering to vote is very important because it gives us the power to select leaders who are deserving of their positions,” Pante said.

Through the iServe Caravan, PIA Albay and its partner agencies worked to ensure that students in geographically isolated communities have access to essential information that can aid their personal development and foster active citizenship. (Raiza Lucido contributed to this report/PIA5/Albay)