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𝐵𝑦: 𝐿𝑒𝑎ℎ 𝐸𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑛 𝑉. 𝑌𝑎𝑜𝑦𝑎𝑜

𝑇𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝐼, 𝐸𝑆𝑆𝐷

SURIGAO DEL SUR, February 25, 2026–𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗖. 𝗔𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗗) 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗿. 𝗘𝗱𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗗. 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘇𝗮, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 (𝗛𝗡𝗨) 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗞𝗮𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱 (𝗢𝗞𝗗) 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖. 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗻, 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗩, 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗴 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆.

The OKD team members include Rena Grace G. Tul-id, Nutritionist-Dietician II; Charlestone A. Otaza, Technical Assistant II for the School Mental Health Program and Children and Adolescent Program, and the temporary Regional Coordinator for the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Program; Leah Ellen V. Yaoyao, Technical Assistant I for the School Mental Health Program and the National Drug Education Program; and Al Jhon Fritz M. Otadoy, Technical Assistant I for the School Sports Program. Each team member carries out designated monitoring processes aligned with the specific programs under their responsibility.

The five-day monitoring activity covered 14 schools—13 in the Schools Division of Surigao del Sur and 1 in Tandag City. The monitoring team was joined by health and sports coordinators, technical assistants from the Schools Division Office, and district nurses assigned to the selected schools visited during the activity.

The fourteen schools included Dapdap Elementary School, Kinayan Elementary School, Talisay Seaside Elementary School, Anibongan National High School, Mamis Elementary School, Salvacion National High School, San Agustin Central Elementary School, Sto. Niño National High School, Mararag National High School, Bayabas Central Elementary School, Amag Elementary School, Cabogo Elementary School, Tabing-dagat Elementary School, and Bioto Elementary School.

Using their monitoring tools, the regional team gathered various findings from the selected schools. A notable highlight during the monitoring was Anibongan National High School, which set a benchmark for the effective implementation of school health programs and the comprehensive preparation of accomplishment reports. This school serves as a model for others to emulate, enhancing both the execution of their health programs and the quality of their reports.

When information was incomplete or areas for improvement were identified, school program coordinators received technical assistance to sustain and strengthen their programs. The monitoring activity was intended not to evaluate or penalize schools for shortcomings but to guide and encourage them in effectively implementing programs, even when resources are limited.

In conclusion, the regional monitoring activity offered an opportunity to evaluate the implementation of health and sports programs across selected schools in Surigao del Sur and Tandag City, while providing guidance and support to school coordinators as needed. In the near future, the monitoring team may expand its visits to include additional schools in the Tandag City Division.

By emphasizing program delivery improvements rather than highlighting shortcomings, the activity promoted collaboration, knowledge sharing, and practical strategies to sustain and improve learner support programs, even with limited resources.

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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