𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐲. 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐄𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐨 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞

𝗦𝗢𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢 𝗜𝗦𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗, 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗔𝗢 𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗘 - 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝘆. 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗼, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲-𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼 𝗕𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗜𝗻𝗰. (𝗦𝗕𝗦𝗜) 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼 𝗞𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗻, 𝗕𝗿𝗴𝘆. 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟲-𝟮𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯.

Usec Escobedo’s visit was an act of goodwill on the part of the Department to provide quality education to the said community that faced a unique challenge following a mass resignation of teachers in the area and the subsequent increase in the dropout rates among the learners relative to their geographical, social, political, and religious environment.

The day before, on October 25, 2023, DepEd Caraga Regional Director Maria Ines C. Asuncion, CESO IV, had a workshop with the key officials of the Schools Division Offices of Siargao Islands and Surigao City, namely SDS Karen L. Galanida, CESO V, and SDS Marilou B. Dedumo, CESO V, respectively, together with ASDS Marilou Laurencio, CID Chief Gemna G. Pobe, SGOD Chief Dr. Harem Taruc, PPRD Chief Dr. Violeta C. Nunes, with the technical support of Atty. Jessa Mangadlao-Miolata and Engr. Mariel Sosmena of the regional office. The workshop, held at Kawa Resort and completed at Kamanting Grill and Restaurant in Siargao Islands, provided Usec. Escobedo additional documented information as the basis for decision-making relative to the needs of the SBSI community. RD Asuncion presented the document to Usec. Escobedo during a meeting at the Schools Division Office of Siargao.

During his visit, Usec. Escobedo engaged with SBSI local leaders, including former Kapihan DepEd teachers and learners, who, in turn, showed their warm island hospitality to the visitors. The discussion was cordial and focused on the establishment of Temporary Learning Centers in the area, the K to 12 curriculum implementation, infrastructure development, re-integration of local teachers into the plantilla, and community involvement - all with the singular goal of improving the quality of education for SBSI learners.

The dialog with the local leaders was one of mutual respect and sincerity in listening to the other party, bound by a common goal of improving the lives of each member. This effort poised the Basic Education Learning Continuity and Re-integration Plans proposed by the Department of Education to stabilize the educational landscape in the locality.

The officials also visited the school sites in Kapihan, namely the Del Pilar ES Annex, Salog ES Annex, Lanit-Ag ES Annex, and Del Pilar ES to check the conduct of the Philippine Education Placement Test (PEPT) for Kinder to Junior High School.

After the visit to Kapihan, Usec. Escobedo met with the SDSs and ASDSs of the 12 Schools Division Offices at the Gateway Hotel in Surigao City to address some pressing issues and concerns in governance and operations from the national, regional, and division levels.

The following day, October 27, 2023, Usec. Escobedo, RD Asuncion, and the other DepEd officials from Siargao, Surigao City, and the regional office proceeded to the Dinagat Schools of Fisheries to check on the status of the computer laboratory, TVL implementation, and other school concerns. Coordinating the activity were SDS Dr. Manuel O. Caberte, Principal Dr. Tess Pedraza Loca, and other school officials.

The team also paid a courtesy visit to the offices of Dinagat Islands Governor Nilo Demerey, Congressman Alan Uno Ecleo, and Mayor Simplicio S. Leyran Jr.

Providing optimal security for the visit was PNP Caraga Regional Director Police Brigadier General Kirby John Brion Kraft and his forces, Provincial Police Director PCOL Filemon O. Pacios and the Maritime Police, the Philippine Army, and the Philippine Coast Guard.

END