LCC Strategic Planning Workshop (FY 2011-2016)

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LCC held its first ever six-year strategic planning workshop  last January 12-14, 2011 at SEAMEO INNOTECH, Commonwealth Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. The workshop generally aimed to develop LCC’s Six-Year Strategic Plan and formulate the Council’s vision and mission. The workshop was attended by some Council members and representatives, members of the Technical Working Group, and the Secretariat.

The workshop specifically addressed the following objectives:

  • Assess LCC’s major accomplishments;
  • Establish a common understanding of LCC’s new mandate and functions based on RA 10122;
  • Formulate and adopt a new vision/mission for LCC;
  • Formulate LCC’s Six-Year Strategic Plan (2011–2016); and
  • Prepare LCC’s 2011 Work and Financial Plan based on the Strategic Plan.

The workshop started with a motivating and direction-setting welcome remarks and keynote address by DepEd Undersecretary Yolanda S. Quijano and DILG Director Manuel Q. Gotis respectively.

The workshop proper was facilitated by Mr. Edicio dela Torre, President of Education Network (E-Net) and Education for Life Foundation, who started off by requesting each of the participants to give their comments on the objectives of the workshop and their expectations.

Dr. Norma L. Salcedo,  LCC Secretariat head, presented the major accomplishments of LCC since its creation in 1991 until the present, and Ms. Ma. Josefina R. Ricafort of the House of Representatives presented a comparison of the first and amended LCC Law. Issues and recommendations were raised after the presentations.

Participants then went through the revision of the LCC vision and mission  based on  the amended Law. Formulation of the six-year strategic plan started on the second day.  Participants were divided into two groups: Policy, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (PRME), and Capability Building, Localization, Advocacy and Networking (CLAN). The outputs were presented during the panel discussion for improvement.

During the last day of the workshop, Dir. Emelyn Q. Libunao of the Philippine Information agency presented the LCC mandate, draft vision and mission and the six- year plan for final comments.

A draft resolution adopting the strategic plan was likewise presented by Mr. Nemesio O. Malatamban III of the House of Representatives, and the next steps was presented by Dr. Norma L. Salcedo.

Atty. Alberto Muyot, DepEd Undersecretary for Legal Affairs delivered the closing remarks on behalf of the Council. Dr. Edna B. Azurin, LCC member, and Atty. Carolina de Ocampo, Executive Assistant of Usec. Rizalino D. Rivera also thanked the participants for a job well done.

Development of the Monitoring and Evaluation Tools for LCC Programs

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The LCC Monitoring and Evaluation System is in the process of development. It is vital to the attainment of the LCC’s vision, mission and goals. We need it in order to be able to systematically monitor and evaluate the various initiatives of the Council which include the policies, programs and projects as well as various activities initiated and implemented by partner agencies and other stakeholders such as LGUs and to assess their impact on the goal of universalizing literacy in the country.

The development of the M&E system is being undertaken in three stages. The first stage comprised of preparatory activities: mostly meetings of the Technical Working Committee (eight of them held from March to October 2007) to lay the groundwork for the project.

The second stage was the development of the M&E system design which was undertaken in the first workshop held in Teachers Camp, Baguio on May 22-23, 2007. The workshop outputs were the LCC M&E system design, logical framework and list of data requirements.

The initial tasks in the stage 3 were achieved in the 2nd workshop held in SEAMEO-INNOTECH on October 18-19, 2007. The workshop developed the basic database of the National Literacy Information System (NLIS), identified M&E and MIS requirements such as data management, hardware and manpower and enhanced the LCC website.

The first M&E Workshop for the development of the M&E tools was on June 4-5, 2008 at the LCC Conference Room, the outputs of which are the Survey instruments for the Local LCCs and National Literacy Conference. This was followed by another workshop on June 24-25, 2010 with the output of programs and projects proposed plans. A follow up meeting was conducted on February 4, 2011 to flesh out the M&E tools for other programs and projects. The output of the meeting was a project profile format for the LCC programs and projects.

The LCC Technical Working Group and Secretariat had a workshop on the development of M&E tools for LCC programs and projects particularly on radio program and provincial orientation impact evaluation. The workshop was held on March 28-29, 2011 at SEAMEO INNOTECH, Comm0nwealth Avenue, Quezon City.

Literacy Forum with Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Local Government Units (LGUs) and other Stakeholders

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The Literacy Coordinating Council hold a Literacy Forum with Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Local Government Units (LGUs ) and other Stakeholders in Mindanao with a theme “Strengthening Partnership and Networking of Literacy Advocates” on June 1, 2011; 9:00 a.m. at the College of Law Building, Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) Zamboanga City.

The forum aimed to:

• Establish, strenthen and sustain linkage with NGOs, LGUs and other stakeholders involved in literacy work;
learn from good practices on literacy programs/community education and create opportunities for continuing and/or scaling them up through government-NGO collaboration;
• Map out current and emerging functional literacy/education needs that are not addressed and strategize on interventions to meet the gaps;
• And create a synergy between the NGOs-POs, the government and the LCC where functional literacy/community education policies and actions are collectively planned, monitored and evaluated every year through the establishment or reactivation of local LCC bodies at different levels.

This is the fifth year the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) has hold its forum for NGOs, LGUs and other stakeholders. The Council has always found its dialogues with NGOs enriching and rewarding.

This year, The LCC, NGOs, LGUs and other stakeholders has work together for a common and noble cause-the universalization of literacy in our country.

The forum results in multi-dimensional cooperation – between communities, government, civil society and NGOs, the private sector, and individuals.

The five (5) previous events were conducted in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009. The participants of the forum were the national government agencies; non-government agencies; local government units; leagues of provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays; state colleges and universities; private organizations; and civil societies.

Development of Five-Year Action Plan for the implementation of Belem Framework

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The Literacy Coordinating Council hold the 2nd Workshop on the Development of Five-Year Action Plan for the implementation of Belem Framework on July 22, 2011 at Bulwagan ng Karunungan, Rizal Building I, DepEd Central Office, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.

The Belém Framework for Action, the final document of the Sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI), was adopted on 4 December 2009 by UNESCO Member states. Philippines is one of the signatories to this International Treaty having recognized the fundamental role of adult learning and education.

The country believes that adults need to develop their abilities, enrich their knowledge, and improve their technical or professional qualifications or turn them in a new direction to meet their own needs and those of their society. Literacy is the most significant foundation upon which to build comprehensive, inclusive and integrated lifelong and life-wide learning for all young people and adults.

Given the magnitude of the global literacy challenge, the LCC deemed it vital to develop a national Adult Literacy Roadmap and/or a Plan of Action to support Adult Education and Lifelong Learning and to ensure that adult literacy rates are improved by all means possible by 2015.

LCC aimed to reconvene government agencies involved in adult education to:

  1. Gather think-tanks from the government agencies, non-government organizations, LCC members and partners involved in the education of young people and adults enables individuals, especially women, to draft concrete Plans of Action for 2011 to 2015 pursuant to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Education for All (EFA) and the UN agenda for sustainable human, social, economic, cultural and environmental development, including gender equality (CEDAW and the Beijing Platform for Action).
  2. Engage stakeholders in developing the Five-Year Philippine Plan of Policies and Action agenda aligned with the Belém Framework. The ideas and possible action points were generated during the first meeting and will be turned over to the Secretary of Education for presentation in several UNESCO forum and Board Meetings to be convened for this purpose.
  3. Finalize the LCC Adult Literacy and Lifelong Education Road Map with clear goals and deadlines to meet this challenge based on the critical assessments of progress made, obstacles encountered and weaknesses identified will be the final output of the workshop.

2011 National Literacy Conference

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In celebration of the annual Literacy Week as stipulated in Presidential Proclamation No. 239 entitled “Declaring the Period from September 2 to 8 of Every Year as Literacy Week,” the Department of Education (DepEd), through the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC), in cooperation and coordination with other government organizations (GOs), local government units (LGUs), private organizations (POs) and non-government organizations (NGOs), will hold the 2011 National Literacy Conference with the theme “Pursuing Community Development through Peace Literacy” at the Imperial Palace Suites, Quezon City on September 27-29, 2011.

This is in line with priority agenda of the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) for Calendar Year (CY) 2011-2012, which is Literacy and Peace.

The objectives of the conference are to:

a. raise awareness on literacy for peace and sustainable future among the participants;

b. share good practices on peace literacy for good governance;

c. reflect on peace situations and identify appropriate strategies and community intervention; and

d. develop Peace and Literacy Action Agenda: Programs, Projects and Activities for Community Development.

The following participants are expected to attend the conference on official business:


a. bureau, center, and regional directors or their representatives; bureau/regional chiefs and assistant chiefs; and  regional supervisors of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) and Formal Education;

b. schools division/city superintendents and assistant superintendents, division supervisors of ALS and Formal Education, district supervisors and principals/head teachers of elementary and secondary public and private schools, ALS coordinators and mobile teachers especially those from 5th and 6th class municipalities/districts and provinces included in the thirty (30) focused barangays with lowest literacy rates;

c. officers of government agencies with extension programs involving literacy or continuing education;

d. heads and members of non-government organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations involved in universalizing literacy in every region.

e. heads of local government units (LGUs), barangay chairpersons and kagawad members, barangay health workers, and other officers involved in the universalization of literacy;

f. heads of private/corporate foundations with interest in education or literacy; and

g. heads and members of academic institutions particularly those in-charge of National Service Training Program–Literacy Training Service (NSTP–LTS).

One of the highlights of the conference is the presentation of the National Literacy Hall of Fame Award to Tagum City for being three-time first place winner in the Outstanding Local Government Unit (Component City Level) category in the National Literacy Awards. Tagum City is also an awardee in the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2011 for its exemplary accomplishments in literacy development through peace literacy.

It is requested that the list/names of participants be sent to Dr. Norma L. Salcedo, Head, LCC Secretariat at Room 413, 4th Floor Mabini Building, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City through telefax no. (02) 631–0590 or send the list through e-mail address: lcc@lcc.deped.gov.ph not later than September 10, 2011.

For more information, please contact the LCC Secretariat at telephone nos. (02) 631–05–79, (02) 631–0567, and (02) 635–9996.

DepEd Memorandum No. 182, s. 2011

Finalization of the LCC Blueprint for Action

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The Technical Advisory Group (TAG), Technical Working Group (TWG), and the Secretariat conducted a two-day workshop last November 17–18, 2011 on the finalization of the LCC Blueprint for Action. The workshop was held at the LCC conference Room 4th Floor, Mabini Building, DepEd Complex, Pasig City.

The new Blueprint for Action and Implementing Guidelines is guided by the same purpose and directed to the same users. It is, however, a briefer, more specific, directed and aggressive action program with clear timelines. In implementing this new Blueprint for Action, an operational monitoring and evaluation mechanism will help keep all stakeholders on the right path to the attainment of our literacy goals.

The revised LCC Blueprint for Action will be presented on the 111th LCC meeting for approval of the Council.

Action Research on Literacy Programs for Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Areas in the Philippines

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The action research aims to analyze the literacy situation of highly vulnerable areas in the country to be able to recommend appropriate policies as well as program interventions appropriate to the needs of these areas.

The specific objectives of this research are:

  1. To determine the literacy situation of highly vulnerable areas
  2. To involve key stakeholders in developing possible literacy action plan
  3. To recommend appropriate literacy policies and program interventions

The initial activity for this action research was the Focused Group Discussion on the priority barangays of Region X conducted by LCC in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government last December 12–13, 2011 at the Regional Educational Learning Center, DepEd Region X, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City.

The said FGD was participated in by 104 participants and representatives from local government units and government agencies of Region X. The activity aims to involve key stakeholders in developing possible literacy action plans and recommend appropriate literacy policies and program interventions.

LCC Radio Program

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The Literacy Coordinating Council recognizes the importance of mass media in their advocacy and social mobilization undertakings. The Philippine Information Agency, as a member of the Council, strongly recommends the production of a regular radio program to sustain the presence of the Council and its various programs in remote areas of the country where literacy rate is at its lowest.

The general objective of this radio program is to intensify advocacy and social mobilization for the promotion of functional literacy through radio broadcast. The areas covered by the implementation of the said radio program are Region X (Cagayan de Oro City) and ARMM (Basilan).

A series of workshops on the development of modules for the radio program was conducted by the LCC Secretariat in preparation for its implementation.

  • October 19–20, 2011 – Development of Radio Program Module LCC Conference Room
  • October 27–28, 2011 – Consultative Program Module Development Dynasty Court, Cagayan de Oro City
  • November 9–10, 2011 – Production Planning Workshop for LCC Radio Program Dynasty Court, Cagayan de Oro City

Participants to the last two workshops were regional directors and information center managers of PIA Regions IX and X, ALS chiefs and assistant chiefs of DepEd Regions IX and X, and director and information officer of PIA central office.

The radio program was launched on December 12, 2011, hosted by PIA Cagayan de Oro City and in cooperation with PIA Central Office and LCC. Guest speakers during the launch were LCC Secretariat head Dr. Norma L. Salcedo and DepEd Undersecretary and LCC Chairperson Rizalino D. Rivera.

The radio program is entitled Literacy para sa Kaunlaran. It will be aired every Sunday from 7 pm to 8 pm from January until March 2012 at DXCC Radio Mindanao Network.

National Literacy Awards

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The LCC technical working group, technical advisory group and some members of the board of judges for the literacy awards gathered last December 15, 2011 to review and revise the criteria for selection of outstanding literacy program and local government units. The said criteria will be used during the review of entries submitted by the different regions and ocular visit and site evaluation 0f the Board of Judges to the top five entries.

The National Literacy Awards is one of the highlights of the annual National Literacy Conference. The Awards, held every other year, aims to give due honor and recognition to outstanding individuals, local government units, and nongovernment organizations for their dedication, commitment, and contribution to literacy development in their respective communities.

The Awards has two categories: Outstanding Literacy Program and Outstanding Local Government Unit broken down into Highly Urbanized City, Component/Component–Independent City, Class A Municipality, and Class B Municipality.

LCC Christmas Celebration

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The Council held its Christmas gathering last December 19, 2011 at SEAMEO INNOTECH, Quezon City.

Theme for the celebration was Hawaiian. The Council members, technical advisory group, technical working group, LCC secretariat and other guests had a simple celebration through dancing, exchanging of gifts and simple meal.

The LCC Secretariat gave out awards for the best in costume, best dancer and early bird.