The Center for Social Concern and Action (COSCA) participated in the River Council Management Action Planning Workshop organized by the DENR Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) at the Grand Ballroom Timberland Sports and Nature Club San Mateo, Rizal July 27-28, 2016. Various River Councils around Metro Manila presented their plans on how to conserve and rehabilitate key bodies of water within their communities. COSCA coordinators and representatives from DENR-EMB, DPWH-NCR, DOH, MMDA and the Manila City Government worked together in formulating strategies to reduce pollution at the Estero De Maytubig and Estero Fort San Antonio De Abad - water systems flowing through the communities around De La Salle University. The plans made during the workshop will be implemented by the inter-agency council formally organized last June 28, 2016. The rehabilitation effort is part of the Lasallian Environmental Sustainability and Governance Component (L-EnviSage) of COSCA's SDG Localization Project in District V, Manila. To know more about how you can be part of this project, you may contact Terteen Gail Omana, L-EnviSage Development Specialist at [email protected]. You may also reach us through: Center for Social Concern and Action
2nd Floor, Br. Connon Hall, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila Telefax: (632) 523-4143
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Sa tuwing sasapit ang SONA ng ating mga naging pangulo, malimit nating napapakinggan sa telebisyon, radyo at maging sa internet ang mga kuro-kuro at opinyon ng maraming mga eksperto. Bagama't kinikilala natin ang halaga at malaking tulong na nai-aambag ng mga pagsusuri ng mga dalubhasa sa maraming larangan, mahalaga ring marinig ang boses ng mga kabataan at ng iba't-ibang samahang kumakawatan sa mga sektor na nasa laylayan ng ating lipunan. Upang simulan ang adhikaing ito, bumunot kami ng ilan sa aming mga katuwang na samahan at hiningi ang kanilang maikling opinyon sa naging SONA ni Pangulong Duterte. Amin na ring kinapanayam ang mga volunteer na kasama naming nanood ng SONA ng Pangulo. Narito ang ilan sa kanilang mga naging tugon. Disclaimer: " Ang nakaraang SONA ng ating kasalukuyang presidente na si Rodrigo Duterte ay maaaring maging panimula sa tunay na pagbabago na kaliangan ng ating bansa. Una, ang pagbawas ng pursyento ng Tax ng mga manggagawa na kumikita lamang ng pang average. Pangalawa, ang pagdagdag ng kagamitan at programa para sa pang-agrikultura, ang pagsugpo ng korapsyon at kriminalidad sa bansa. Ito ay ilan lamang sa mga pinangako nito na sana ay matupad sa kanyang termino bilang pangulo. Tunay din na nakuha ng bagong pangulo ang tiwala ng buong sambayanan dahil na rin sa kanyang pusong makabansa at bilang isang buhay na solusyon sa mga problema na kinakaharap ng ating bansa." Jerome Manalo, St. Anthony De Padua Parish "Medyo inconsistent and wala siyang tiwala sa data na nasa script. Ayaw niya paniwalaan yung nasa script kasi parang hindi reliable yung statistics." Don Mac, COSCA Volunteer "Mahusay at nakakahanga ang mga binitiwang pangako ng pagbabago ni Pres. Duterte. Tunay na tinalakay niya ang katotohanan na nararanasan ng mga Pilipino sa kasalukuyan. Kapaki-pakinabang ang mga pangako niya na pro-poor at clean and good government...droga, FOI, fisherfolks, lumad, mining, women, illegal settlers, train, traffic, runway, taxes, hotline na 888, lahat ng ito ay dalangin natin na matupad at magkaisa ang bawat Pilipino." Lisa Arnaldo Program Coordinator, Teresa Charities for the Elderly Program Inc. "I was amazed at how Duterte delivered his speech in which he skip the prepared script and utter an honest opinion. I can see his wisdom and passion on what he is saying to address the issues presented in our country. He also talked about his initial accomplishments in a statistical way in which there are a lot of people that are being arrested and willingly surrendered for rehabilitation." Kyle, COSCA Volunteer "Maganda at nagkakaroon ng pag-asa na may pagbabago at pag-unlad pa ang Pilipinas. Sana maipatupad niya." Maricar Malate, President Kababaihang Yumayabong, tungo sa Kagalingan (KAYUMANGGI), Quezon City "Sometimes he goes with the script, sometimes does not. I see some inconsistencies from what he said now and what he said before during the campaign period." Luis, COSCA Volunteer "Ang SONA ni DU30 ay nagpapahiwatig ng pag-asa sa ating bansa. Lalo na po yung pagbibigay halaga sa mga dukha o mahihirap." Michael Bauyon, Pangulo Samahan ng mga Maliliit na Mangingisda ng Binubusan (SMMB), Lian, Batangas "Totoo yung nangyayari at dapat gawin ng gobyerno." Anselmo Astilla, President Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (MFARMC), Lian, Batangas "Ang masasabi ko lang po sa SONA ni DU30 ay napakaganda. Sana ay magawa. Lalung-lalo na ang umaasa sa Pantawid Pamilya. Sa facilities ng PINAS ang fast net, fast LRT, kasi tayo lang bulok na LRT. TAGAL PILA. Ang laban sa droga pag-igtingin. Sa lahat ng plano tuparin at pagbutihin para umasenso ang PINAS." Analyn Solis, President Bukluran ng mga Migranteng Manggagawa at Kapamilya sa Brgy. 28, Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan City Bitin ba ang mga nakasulat na saloobin sa naging SONA ni Pangulong Duterte? Halika't pahabain natin ang diskusyon. Ipadala ang iyong pananaw sa: Center for Social Concern and Action
2nd Floor, Br. Connon Hall, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila Telefax: (632) 523-4143 Last July 21, 2016, the Center for Social Concern and Action (COSCA) and the University Student Government's Office of the Vice President for External Affairs (USG-OVPEA) organized a talk on "The Role of Children and Youth in Helping Build a Peaceful Society." Bai Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman, Founder of the Teach Peace Build Peace Movement, related her own "peacetale" - the narrative that prepared her and hardened her commitment for peace. She also shared the journey of the Teach Peace Build Peace Movement and the many ways by which Lasallians may contribute to peace-building in their own spheres of influence. She emphasized that "Without a counter-narrative or a long-term strategic program to guide conflict-affected people, they will eventually become a problem of the Filipino society - they will either joing gangs, violent or terrorist groups, because they feel that they have a group who will defend them." She encouraged Lasallians to start peace-building by doing random acts of kindness for others. After all, "Every act of kindness is an act of peace," she said. The talk is part of #DLSULetsMOVE, a volunteerism week aimed at increasing awareness on social issues concerning education, poverty, peace, justice, and human rights. Center for Social Concern and Action
2nd Floor, Br. Connon Hall, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila Telefax: (632) 523-4143 Last July 20, 2016, the second day of "#DLSULetsMOVE: Mobilizing Opportunities for Volunteer Experience," representatives from various educational programs for the poor, took turns in sharing their respective contributions in "Making Lasallian Education Accessible to the Poor." Quality Preschool Education at P50 per month First to share was Dr. Marianne Jennifer Gaerlan, the coordinator of the St. La Salle Preschool (SLSP). During her presentation, she talked about the need to heighten people's awareness about the school. Established as the university’s way of giving back to the community and at the same time a training ground for future Lasallian teachers; the school welcomes Nursery (3.5 to 4.5 year olds) and Pre-K (4.5 to 5.5 year olds) children from indigent families around Leveriza. Individuals and organizations may help the school by volunteering or by donating school supplies, uniforms, nutritious snacks, prizes for events, cleaning supplies, storage supplies plants or curtains. "Talaga bang dito dapat sila sa DLSU?" "Talaga bang dito dapat sila sa DLSU?" This and other thought provoking questions served as guide for Ms. Carmel Puertollano as she related the many challenges that Gawad Kalinga Scholars face in their journey as DLSU students. She also enjoined Lasallians to make DLSU more welcoming to those who have less in life by becoming more sensitive and understanding of the needs of our scholars. "What we easily shell out for school projects or night-outs may already be the scholar's allowance for a week or two," she adds. The GK Scholarship Program provides high school graduates from GK Villages and "Gillages" (communities around GK Villages) with the chance of completing Lasallian Education for free. Since 2013, the GK Scholarship Program has already produced fifty-nine (59) graduates, ten (10) Honorable Mentions and two (2) Cum Laudes from De La Salle Universty and the College of St. Benilde. Giving School Leavers a Second Chance through ALS Last to share was Mr. Leo Tadena, Development Specialist of the Lasallian Accessible, Relevant and Alternative Learning (L-ARAL) Project of COSCA. Leo shared how L-ARAL through the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of DepEd, provides school leavers with a second chance in completing their high school education. Through weekday functional literacy learning sessions, learners are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills that will help them prepare for DepEd's Accreditation & Equivalency Exam. Passers of the said exam are awarded High School Diploma's which they may use in pursuing technical-vocational training, college education or employment. Just recently, the program achieved an 83% passing rate in the April 2016 Accreditation and Equivalency Exam. At present, L-ARAL is now coordinating with the St. La Salle Preschool, the GK Scholarship Program and other units in the university to fulfill its dream of having less fortunate children complete Lasallian Education from preschool to college. A similar bridging program is also being designed to help support ALS graduates who may want to pursue courses not currently offered by De La Salle University or the College of St. Benilde. To know more about how you can support this project, you may contact Leo Tadena at [email protected]. Center for Social Concern and Action
2nd Floor, Br. Connon Hall, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila Telefax: (632) 523-4143 Mr. Wolfgang Heinze, Country Director of Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) with representatives from the Center for Social Concern and Action (COSCA), Lasallian Justice and Peace Commission (LJPC), Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance (JMRIG) and the Office of the Vice President for External Affairs of the University Student Government (USG-OVPEA). "If you deny Human Rights to one group, then it may also be denied to others in the future. How sure are you that it won't happen to you next?" These are just some of the lines that Wolfgang Heinze, Philippine Country Director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), shared to Lasallians during his talk, "FNF in the Philippines: Freedom and Human Rights" held at DLSU last July 19, 2016. Mr. Heinze also talked about the brief history of FNF and its work in the Philippines. He also gave some thoughts on the ongoing anti-drug campaign of the Duterte Administration. He ended the talk with a challenge to Lasallians: "You should stand up for the things that you believe in. Whatever you do, do it because you believe in it. And do it with passion." The talk is part of #DLSULetsMOVE: Mobilizing Opportunities for Volunteer Experience, a joint project of the Center for Social Concern and Action (COSCA) and the Office of the Vice President for External Affairs of the University Student Government (USG-OVPEA) to increase awareness on social issues concerning education, poverty, peace, justice, and human rights, by providing an avenue for members of the DLSU Community to engage with various Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). Center for Social Concern and Action
2nd Floor, Br. Connon Hall, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila Telefax: (632) 523-4143 Fifteen (15) pre-selected Learners just received the wonderful news of passing the Accreditation and Equivalency Test (AET) of the Department of Education. (http://www.dep.ed.gov.ph/als-ae)
Earlier around March 2016, eighteen (18) Learners were endorsed to take the test scheduled last April 17, 2016. Fifteen (15) of these learners successfully passed the test giving DLSU's Alternative Learning System Program an 83% passing rate for its 4th Batch of Learners. The program now has a total of fifty-six (56) AET passers since its inception in 2013. The DLSU-ALS is managed by the Center for Social Concern and Action as integral part of its University Community Engagement and Development Program (UCEDP) headed by Joseph Rosal. UCEDP is the lead unit of COSCA which is implementing direct Community Engagements as one of the strategic directions of the university and implements the localization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. |