NEWS RELEASE || 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡: 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚, 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫

BUTUAN CITY, November 10, 2025—𝗜𝗻 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸, 𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗿𝘆, 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗗) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗛𝗥𝗗𝗗), 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱 “𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 & 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮.” 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟬𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗔𝗣–𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆.

This initiative underscores the shared commitment of DepEd Caraga and City Savings Bank to promote the health and well-being of education personnel. The seminar aimed to raise awareness on cancer prevention, early detection, and management, while highlighting the importance of health education in creating a supportive and informed workplace.

ESSD Chief Edmund D. Mendoza emphasized that the seminar served as “a time not only of learning but also of encouragement,” inspiring education personnel to nurture a community where “health and hope thrive side by side.”

Representing City Savings Bank, Roseller B. Legaspi, Regional Sales Head, introduced Project Pink—a Breast Cancer Awareness Program designed to educate and provide support to public school teachers within the Department of Education.

One of the highlights of the seminar was the session led by Dr. Angeli Sison-Dimaano, an Internist-Medical Oncologist, who discussed practical ways to prevent cancer. Citing data from the American Cancer Society, she explained that individuals at high risk are recommended to undergo annual mammograms and breast MRI screenings starting between the ages of 25 and 30. Dr. Dimaano also elaborated on common causes of cancer and emphasized the critical role of early detection in saving lives.

Adding a deeply personal dimension to the discussions, Mrs. Jessica Melgazo, a former Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) and cancer survivor, courageously shared her journey through diagnosis, treatment, and recovery—underscoring the power of resilience, faith, and hope in overcoming life’s greatest challenges.

The seminar also featured a session on stress management facilitated by Nancy Caballero, a Registered Guidance Counselor from the Butuan City School of Arts and Trades. She introduced practical techniques to manage everyday stressors, including the “Butterfly Hug” method. She reminded participants that small gestures—such as a hug or a pat on the back—can make a significant difference. Caballero concluded with an empowering quote from Maya Angelou: “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”

The “Hope & Healing” seminar serves as a testament to the Department’s ongoing commitment to holistic well-being, empowering its personnel to lead healthier, more balanced, and more hopeful lives.

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.

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