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𝐿𝑒𝑎ℎ 𝐸𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑛 𝑉. 𝑌𝑎𝑜𝑦𝑎𝑜
𝑇𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝐼 - 𝐸𝑆𝑆𝐷

SURIGAO DEL SUR, October 21, 2025—𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱) 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗖. 𝗔𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗗) 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗗. 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘇𝗮, 𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗗 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 (𝗛𝗡𝗨)–𝗚𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 (𝗚𝗣𝗣), 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗚. 𝗧𝘂𝗹-𝗶𝗱, 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁-𝗗𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗜, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗝𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖. 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗻, 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗩, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟵–𝟭𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝘆𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗿.

On the first day, Tul-id, together with Technical Assistant Leah Ellen V. Yaoyao, visited Mt. Olive Elementary School in Bayugan City, and Sta. Maria Integrated School and San Vicente High School in Surigao del Sur.

At Mt. Olive Elementary School, which occupies a two-hectare area with seven classrooms and one rainwater collector, the team observed that the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program, established in 2012–2013, remains active and well-supported by partners such as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), which donated fingerlings, and the Department of Agriculture (DA) Provincial Office, which provided 50 banana seedlings. The school also practices vermiculture as an organic fertilizer source.

Under the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools (WinS) program, Mt. Olive Elementary School maintains two handwashing facilities with a total of 15 faucets. Recommendations were given to conduct daily supervised handwashing and toothbrushing, ensure soap availability, and improve toilet facilities with proper labels, hygiene supplies, and lighting.

The team proceeded to Sta. Maria Integrated School and San Vicente High School, assisted by Division GPP Focal Joanne Balan and Technical Assistant Lord Charles Timothy L. Carreon.
Sta. Maria Integrated School showcased its functional and aesthetic GPP site, featuring a well-designed planting landscape and a bazaar exhibit previously displayed during the Central Office visit on October 21–24, 2025. The program is integrated into both elementary and high school curricula, where learners actively participate in daily watering and planting activities. However, the school is currently rated as a zero-star under the WinS program due to earthquake-damaged classrooms and comfort rooms.

At San Vicente High School, led by School Head Roberto L. Polinar, the GPP recently achieved a successful fruit harvest. The team recommended re-labeling plants, rehabilitating planting areas, and posting information, education, and communication (IEC) materials to promote hygiene practices. The school integrates agriculture into its curriculum, utilizes a shredder machine for learning activities, and plans to establish a vermiculture facility with support from the provincial government.

On the second day, October 10, 2025, the Regional Office team visited Trinidad Elementary School, Maglambing Integrated School, and Quezon Integrated School.

Trinidad Elementary School cultivates crops such as eggplant, string beans, okra, malunggay, spring onion, and pechay. The school’s mini-gymnasium was turned over through the KALAHI-CIDSS program, and under WinS, it received ₱20,000 from the DPRP funds for toilet construction. Currently, the school is classified as a zero-star under the WinS program.

Maglambing Integrated School maintains a greenhouse for hydroponic lettuce cultivation and one handwashing facility with 10 faucets, though several need repair.

At Quezon Integrated School, the GPP was noted to be exemplary, with a well-landscaped garden featuring labeled plants that include scientific names and health benefits. The garden also offers a relaxation area for learners and staff, integrating agriculture, aquaculture, and hydroponics into a cohesive and educational setup.

The School Action Plan Monitoring aimed to provide technical assistance and insights to strengthen the GPP implementation at the school level. It also served as preparatory work for the upcoming Central Office GPP monitoring visit scheduled on October 21–24, 2025, in the Caraga Region.

This initiative underscores DepEd Caraga’s strong commitment to promoting sustainable food production, nutrition education, and environmental stewardship through the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program and the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools (WinS) initiatives. By conducting site visits and offering on-the-ground technical guidance, the Regional Office continues to cultivate a culture of health, resilience, and sustainability across schools in the region.

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.
𝐄𝐍𝐃
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See more photos at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/DepEdCaragaOfficial/posts/pfbid02inG8rtJHfMvVDUCFmPU258nQMrWJD8A9vgQ6UhCHQ223JAncYb4DyfFkCLuMhepjl