The lone state university in the island province of Bohol continues its mission of promoting sustainable development through meaningful research and impactful extension services.
Bohol Island State University (BISU) inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Manila-based multi-disciplinary publishing company The Inteligente Publishing, Inc. (Intel) last March 18, Tagbilaran City, to formalize a strategic partnership that aims to address learning poverty, promote literacy, and empower Boholano barangays through education, community archiving, and research-based interventions.
The agreement entered by BISU and Intel has five key objectives: mobilize pre-service teachers as tutors to address learning gaps in struggling students, in support of the ARAL Program Law or Republic Act 12028; develop localized, context-based, culturally-relevant, and learner-centric human sourcebooks by creating educational resources tailored to the needs of the barangays of Bohol; enhance teacher training by providing professional development programs for educators and tutors, promote community-based literacy programs by empowering barangay-based education initiatives, and conduct research for educational development by assessing the effectiveness of relative programs to drive continuous improvement.
The I-ALPHA-HL Program (Institute for Alleviating Learning Poverties using Holistic Approaches of Human Libraries), an Intel initiative, is a feature of the agreement focused on addressing student reading deficiencies, development of interactive human sourcebooks, and collaboration with local government units (LGUs), schools, the Department of Education, and non-government organizations (NGOs) to set up community-based learning hubs and literacy programs.
“By combining BISU’s academic expertise and [Intel]’s innovative learning materials, this initiative aims to bridge learning gaps and empower barangays with sustainable and future-ready literacy programs,” said BISU President Dr. Anthony Penaso. The MOA, according to Dr. Penaso, will focus on alleviating learning poverties due to the need for more research-based, context-based, and relevant educational resources.
Under the agreement, BISU’s role is to provide facilities, training, and academic support to implement the program. Intel will focus on developing and providing human sourcebooks, like manual, activity, and other barangay-centric learning materials. Both institutions will work together to collaborate LGUs and NGOs to expand outreach programs.
Both institutions expect that the implementation of the agreement will help strengthen the collaboration of the entire Bohol community towards transforming barangays into enfranchised human libraries, and, eventually, reduce learning poverty in Bohol, Region 7, and the country.
Joining Dr. Penaso from BISU are Vice President (VP) for Academics and Quality Assurance Dr. Maria Lilibeth Castil, VP for Administration and Finance Dr. Arceli Hernando, VP for Student Affairs and Services Dr. Zina Sayson, BISU Main Campus Director & Executive Dean Dr. Samuel Gulayan, Business and Management Dean & Director of Instruction Dr. Rizaleth Mepieza, Teacher Education Dean Dr. Renario Hinampas Jr., University Director for Research and Development Dr. Josephine Nalzaro, and Director for Extension and Community Services Ms. Pia Lougel Lopez. Executive Vice President Lowela Malangen leads the INTEL contingent, joined by Project Consultant Dr. Marietta Biliran, and authors Dr. Lingling Bullecer, Dr. Mia Biliran, and Dr. Vida Olavides.
Intel’s Managing Director Marc Jay Yamomo hopes that the new partnership will create a “self-sustaining ecosystem for barangays in Bohol” and ensure that every child will be “an enfranchised human library.”