by Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Oct. 25 (PIA) –- A consultative module development workshop for a Radio Program on Literacy (RPL) in Regions 9 and 10 will be held at Dynasty Court, this city on Oct. 27-28.
The RPL aims to promote the thrusts and programs of Republic Act 10122, otherwise known as “An Act Strengthening the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) by Amending RA 7165,” also, known as “An Act Creating the LCC, Defining its Powers and Functions, Appropriating Funds, therefore and for Other Purposes.”
Dr. Norma Salcedo of the Department of Education (DepEd), Head of the LCC Secretariat, said the program aims to intensify advocacy and social mobilization promoting the literacy endeavors of the LCC through radio broadcast in remote areas of the country where the literacy rate is at its lowest.
She said through the RPL, the LCC hopes to convince the parents in these areas by showing them the importance of sending their children to school or to non-formal schools for out of school children. They also aim to encourage out of school youths (OSY) and indigenous people to avail of non-formal schools, placements and assessment programs.
Meanwhile, the RPL will be conducted by the LCC, in coordination with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), in the provinces of Basilan in Region 9 and Misamis Oriental in Region 10.
Some of the “30 Bottom Barangays with Lowest Literacy Rate, 5th and 6th Class Municipalities,” are found in these regions, as shown in the “Literacy Mapping of the 20% of the Total Number of Barangays of the 20% Total Number of 5th and 6th Class Municipalities: Policy Implications to Local Government Units,” done by the LCC in 2007, Salcedo said.
Thirteen of these barangays were in Region 10, of which seven were in Lanao del Norte, three each in Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental respectively. These were Barangays Pendalonan, Bubonga Radapan and Old Poblacion in Munai, Dansalan in Sapad, Cabasagan and Natangcopan in Pantao Ragat and Bangcal in Pantar, in Lanao del Norte, Barangays Dioyo and Ventura in Sapang Dalaga and Manalad in Calamba, Misamis Occidental and Matampa, Alipuaton and Bunal in Salay town, Misamis Oriental.
However, the LGU’s in these areas have qualified that the data might have been gathered when most of the people were not in their homes as these were declared “no man’s land,” during the period due to the insurgency problems.
Meanwhile, Staff Director Emelyn Q. Libunao of the PIA Program Management Division (PMD) said preparations for the creation of the RPL in the workshop will be attended by the following:
Regional Directors of the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Chief, DepEd Alternative Learning System (ALS) in region 10;
ALS Coordinators, Mobile Teachers and Barangay Chairpersons in the Municipality of Salay, Misamis Oriental and Sapang Dalaga, Misamis Occidental and concerned local chief executives (LCE) of Lanao del Norte, Regional Director of PIA, Region 9 and Information Center Managers of Basilan, Lanao del Norte and Misamis Oriental.
Target date of the RPL implementation in Basilan and Misamis Oriental is November 28, this year. (PIA-10)
PIA Press Release Wednesday, October 26, 2011