On 22 October 2024, the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Education (FED) formally launched the PAGTULAY Program or Pagpapalawig ng mga Oportunidad sa Edukasyon para sa mga Pilipino, with the main goal of providing inclusive, quality education for all Filipino people.
UPOU FED Dean, Dr. Charisse Reyes, opened the program and acknowledged all the people involved in making it possible. She emphasized that this program’s primary goal is to inform Filipinos about UPOU’s offerings to help achieve its mission of providing quality higher education to all. Dean Reyes introduced UPOU Chancellor Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria as the keynote speaker of the launching program. She also mentioned how Chancellor Bandalaria has been a supportive leader for the program’s success from start to finish.
Chancellor Bandalaria congratulated FED as she had already seen the potential of the PAGTULAY program since its inception. She has guided Dean Reyes in conceptualizing the project by reminding her of the mandate of UPOU. The PAGTULAY Project reminds her of the Former UPOU Chancellor Felix Librero’s words, “Let’s not build walls, let’s build bridges,” and Professor Emeritus Alexander Flor’s, “Bridges and Pathways,” where there’s not only one way to ensure the provision of quality education, especially for the marginalized communities. The PAGTULAY Program symbolizes (1) the bridge that UPOU built and (2) the people who will cross the bridge. This program enabled the connection between two ends—delivering quality education to the marginalized. Chancellor Bandalaria expressed her pride as a UPOU Chancellor for being part of this program. She sees the massive impact of the PAGTULAY Program, especially when combined with all other UPOU initiatives.
Dean Reyes further elaborated on the mission and objectives of the PAGTULAY Program, primarily as part of SDG 4: “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” She acknowledged the former deans of FED for laying the groundwork that led to the creation of the PAGTULAY Program. The program’s primary goal is to widen access to education among Filipino communities, especially the marginalized community, by bridging the gaps that prevent them from accessing quality education.
The PAGTULAY Program has five (5) objectives, supplemented by subprograms to achieve them.
Equitable professional development for educators in all sectors
The first objective is to expand professional development programs for educators, including continuing education courses and microcredentials with a clear path toward macrocredentials. This goal focuses on education in the 21st century. This will be achieved through Sub-program 1: Fostering skills and continuing professional development through microlearning opportunities.
Transformative higher education for all
The second objective is to allow members of prison communities (including persons deprived of liberty or PDLs and jail officers) to enroll in UPOU’s undergraduate and graduate programs. This initiative has already started through an MOA Signing between UPOU, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU), solidifying its partnership as part of Sub-program 2: Contributing towards rehabilitating persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) through higher education.
At least one educator for every Indigenous Peoples’ community in the Philippines
The third objective focuses on the students from IP communities enrolled in UPOU’s undergraduate and graduate programs. Sub-program 3 will promote the higher and postgraduate educational opportunities of the IP.
Learning begins in early childhood
The fourth objective is enhancing barangay-level early childhood education programs. Through Sub-program 4, transformative academic programs and public service initiatives will be developed to promote early childhood education at the barangay level. This objective is intended to help alleviate the hurdles encountered in basic education by establishing a strong foundation in childhood education.
Every child, a dreamer
The fifth and last objective focuses on active community engagement towards promoting enhanced numeracy, literacy, and STEAM education through Sub-program 5. FED has also laid the groundwork for this sub-program through the Paglinang Project, Pagkasa Project, and collaborative engagement with basic education, special science education, and higher educational institutions such as the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Science High School System (DOST-PSHS), DOST- Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), and Los Baños Science Community Foundation, Inc. (LBSCFI).
During the launching program, JSUPT. Edmund L. Llamasares, Jail Warden of Guagua District Jail Male Dormitory, also delivered a message acknowledging UPOU and their gratitude for being part of the project. They believe this project will provide opportunities to the PDLs through ODeL to give them a bright future. PSAU President Dr. Anita David also congratulated UPOU for the launch of the PAGTULAY program and acknowledged how PSAU is privileged to be one of the program’s partners.
Dr. Aurora Lacaste, Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for Instruction, closed the launching program by highlighting the importance of the PAGTULAY Program in addressing the academic needs of marginalized communities. She encouraged the UPOU community to carry the program’s values and serve as an inspiration to serve the people, especially those historically underserved.
Written by Zyrene Edrei Villanueva ♦ Edited by Myra C. Almodiel ♦ Photos by Anna Mhari Duria
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