NEWS FEATURE|𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺: 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲, 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮

July 2, 2026

BUTUAN CITY – 𝗜𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱) 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮, 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗚. 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘇𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀-𝗼𝗻-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮, 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀.

Determined to lead from the ground rather than from behind a desk, Director Farnazo spent another day engaging directly with school heads, teachers, learners, and communities, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges and triumphs shaping education in Caraga.

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀

Among his stops was West City Central Elementary School, the school nearest the DepEd Caraga Regional Office. There, he met with School Head Marylou Rocososa and checked on the welfare of the school's 1,053 learners and 46 teachers.

Director Farnazo also visited Butuan City School of Arts and Trades (BCSAT), where he met with Principal Gewaricel T. Carlos. During the visit, he engaged with school officials and personnel while reviewing the conditions and needs of the institution's 2,322 learners, 143 teaching personnel, and seven non-teaching staff.

The Regional Director likewise visited Bancasi Integrated School, where he observed the implementation of campus security protocols and interacted with learners who actively assist in implementing security measures at the school gates pursuant to DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026. He commended both the learners and school personnel for fostering a culture of vigilance, discipline, and shared responsibility in maintaining a safe learning environment.

Beyond infrastructure and enrollment figures, the visits revealed compelling stories rooted in community history. Director Farnazo learned of a school that narrowly escaped destruction after experiencing four separate fire incidents over the years. He also encountered long-standing land titling concerns involving school properties whose original donors can no longer be traced, an issue that continues to complicate efforts to secure legal ownership of school sites.

In one remarkable discovery, the history of a school property had survived only through the oral recollections of the mother of a local teacher, Ma’am Marian, underscoring the importance of preserving community memory in protecting educational institutions.

“What an amazing connect,” Director Farnazo remarked, reflecting on the unexpected links and stories that emerged throughout the visit. Amid discussions on governance and school operations, he also gained a deeper appreciation of the region’s unique social and cultural landscape.

𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁

The most emotional moment of the day came during Director Farnazo’s visit to a learner under the Lingap program.

The young boy, unable to walk or speak despite his age, immediately drew the attention and compassion of the Regional Director, who personally carried him during the visit.

Teachers later shared the heartbreaking circumstances behind the child’s condition. According to school personnel, the learner suffered severe physical abuse, leaving lasting effects on his development. Despite these challenges, educators have observed gradual improvements in his social interaction and responsiveness through sustained support and intervention at school.

Deeply moved by the encounter, Director Farnazo expressed both sorrow and determination.

“I can’t imagine this happened to him,” Farnazo remarked, stressing that this incident provided the “silver lining in the work we do. We have every reason to do more and love DepEd.”

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲

Reflecting on his first 48 hours in office, Director Farnazo acknowledged the difficult realities facing many schools and families across the region. Yet, he emphasized that these experiences have only strengthened his commitment to servant leadership and learner-centered governance. He intends to pursue solutions to long-standing school land titling concerns, reinforce child protection initiatives, and ensure that DepEd Caraga remains a responsive and compassionate institution for every learner.

As of this release, Director Farnazo remains on the ground conducting visits at the schools and division offices in Butuan City, underscoring his commitment to firsthand engagement and learner-centered leadership.

By: The Public Affairs Unit

DepEd Caraga

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For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph