USAID meets BU officials; grants study on helping ALS Completers

Today, as I stand before you for the last time as your President, I stand with nothing but a sense of gratitude for the many manifold blessings that are products of our collective steadfastness, patience, perseverance, and resiliency, as one Bicol University community. I stand as an academic leader grateful for the faith we share and the trust you have all unwaveringly given to my Administration, even as we sailed through the many shocks and stresses together as one family and one University. As I look back at my Presidency, I am wrapped in nostalgia and wistfulness; recalling the many trails we have blazed and the countless challenges we have hurdled as one Bicol University family. My dear graduates, go where you are celebrated. Go where your ideas will bear fruit. Go where you can serve better. But never abandon those who reject you or have a different path than you. Build a better world for all – and include them still in your dreams; in your vision, of a better future beyond what we have now. Empower each one with the gift of greater resiliency. Ignore the cancel culture that has been so predominant in the social media, especially in the virtual world. If you believe in a Higher Being or a Higher Purpose, then, you will know deep in your heart; if you truly listen “with the ear of your heart,” – then you will know, that even in diversity, there can be unity – that rejection, and hate is, as you millennials say it – “not cool.” This is part of building a resilient nature – a strong and resilient character.

In its continued championship to strengthen the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in support to the outof-school youth (OSY), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) officially announced its support to award the USAID O2 grant last May 2022 for the study in helping ALS Completers in their career.

On August 23, a meeting between BU officials and the United States Government officials, with the USAID Opportunity 2.0 Program coordinators and USAID ABC+ Program coordinator, was held at the Conference Room, Ricardo A. Arcilla building at the university, to further discuss the support for the OSY as well as blueprints in achieving jobs, trainings, or small business for the youth.

For BU, representatives were led by BU President Arnulfo M. Mascariñas; Dr. Amelia A. Dorosan, VP for Academic Affairs; Dr. Eddie S. See, VP for Planning and Development; Dr. Jonathan Arroco, Dean of the College of Industrial Technology; Dr. Dimson M. Rivero, Director of the International Relations Office; Dr. John Mark Mayor, Associate Dean of the College of Education; and Dr. Thaddeus Livica, Director of the National Service Training Program (NSTP),

On the other hand, the US Government attendees were Dr. Thomas LeBlanc, Director of the Office of Education, USAID/ Philippines; Jennifer Crow, Director of the

Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance, USAID/Philippines; and Mirshariff Tillah, Senior Education Adviser, Office of Education, USAID/Philippines.

For the USAID Opportunity 2.0 Program, present were Dr. David Hall, Chief of Party, Education Development Center; Carlo Fernando, Lead Higher Education Coordinator, EDC; and Mark Harris Lim, Youth Development Team Lead, EDC. Meanwhile, the USAID ABC+ Program, present were also Lorina Aquino, Chief of Party, Research Triangle Institute; Jodie Stefano, Director of Governance; and Melanie Sebial, Regional Manager.

A plaque of commendation was awarded by the USAID O2 to BU as a strong pillar and one of the founding members of the Legazpi City Youth Development Alliance, as well as for its continuing championship of youth development in the city.

It can be recalled that an EDC-BUNSTP collaboration for the Higher-Level Education or Training Readiness Orientation (HERO) was inked last March 15, 2022. This program has trained 35 students as HERO Student Volunteers and they were able to produce 90 Alternative Learning System (ALS) Completers. As an extension of the project, the USAID O2 was granted to help the completers in determining their skills, or train them for entrepreneurial experience or achieve employment in the future.