NEWS|CELA In Action: CELA partners with Kiwanis Progressive Pangasinan

CELA In Action: CELA partners with Kiwanis Progressive Pangasinan

Lianne Ruth Pagaduan

College of Education and Liberal Arts (CELA) of PHINMA University of Pangasinan, in partnership with KIWANIS Progressive Pangasinan (KPP), conducted its outreach program at Leon-Francisco Maramba Elementary School.

The schools in Dagupan City are gradually reopening and conducting their limited face-to-face classes. To help with the possible difficulties that schools and students may face, the CELA Department upholds the PHINMA network's utmost commitment to making lives better through education. Last June 7, 2022, an outreach program was organized to educate the pupils from Leon-Francisco Maramba Elementary School located at Longos, Bonuan Boquig, Dagupan City.

In line with this, a hundred students from the school beneficiary were informed about their rights as a child. According to Art Joan Cirell Rebamontan, one of the outreach program's chairpersons, ''It is crucial for the students to know what their rights are and how they are to be exercised, especially in their formative years''. In the interview, Miss Rebamontan also said, "Children are subject to the violation of their rights despite the laws that protect them."

The discussion on how these children's rights are exercised was maneuvered through story-telling by Ma'am Charmee Velasco and Dr. Elmer D. Noriega from CELA Department. The pupils also received snacks and school supplies. Aside from that, student leaders from the college department prepared and led activities and games for the students to have fun while learning.

CELA's partner, KIWANIS Progressive Pangasinan, funded textbooks donated to the school beneficiary. Equipped with new and relevant supplementary reading materials, the functional mini-library dubbed "KIWANIS Corner" was set up as a special section in the school library. This was commemorated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony spearheaded by the CELA Dean, Dr. Cherry B. Calaunan, and former College of Social Sciences Dean, Dr. Gladys M. Navarro.

After this fruitful partnership program with KPP and LFMES, the College of Education and Liberal Arts conducted the second installment of its outreach program last October 4, 2022. With the same partners at barangay Longos, Bonuan Boquig, CELA student leaders, faculties, and heads, including Dr. Cherry B. Calaunan, set out for the mangrove (Bakawan) tree planting activity. According to Mr. David Matthew Narvaez, Governor of the CELA Student Council, this bakawan tree-planting "will benefit fishermen because mangroves will serve as a prevention to [soil] erosions." He also said that mangroves would also improve water quality and sea life.

After the tree planting, an educational workshop was also carried out to inform the students from the school beneficiary about how mangroves can benefit the environment. Food and school supplies were also distributed to the students during the workshop.

Committed to bringing forth progressive and sustainable initiatives, CELA and its partner assured the community that there will be more programs. Another outreach program, a toy-and-book drive and feeding program, is being planned by the college for their chosen beneficiary.