Bangsamoro gov't reaches out to youth returnees

Some participants of the Youth Awareness and Resiliency Summit pose with MP Atty. Maisara Damdamun-Latiph. (Office of MP Latiph)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--To determine the assistance to be provided to youth who laid down their arms to become productive and law-abiding members of society, the Bangsamoro government through the Office of Member of Parliament (MP) Atty. Maisara Damdamun-Latiph spearheaded a summit on youth awareness and resiliency, October 22.

Aside from ISIS youth returnees, the summit was also participated by youth relatives of returnees, youth affected during a municipal siege or armed conflict, and youth from remote villages in the towns of Pagayawan, Lumbaca Unayan, Lumbayanague, and Madamba.

MP Latiph said the summit aims to reach out to the youth, determine their needs, connect them to livelihood opportunities, and free their mind from radicalization.

According to her, the activity is in response to President Duterte's Administrative Order (AO) 25 which expanded the coverage of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) to include former violent extremists.

The said AO mandates the government to provide a complete package of assistance to former rebels and former violent extremists specifically tailored to their needs and those of their respective communities

During the summit, the youth participants were engaged in a series of discussions with peace advocates on the Bangsamoro struggle, Bangsamoro Parliamentary Government, preventing and countering violent extremism, and the fight against drug addiction and criminality, among others. 

They also underwent leadership and team-building activities and a peace project proposal workshop where each municipality received P20,000 grant for their project.

"This is very interesting kasi it is the first time that we will be able to engage with them after the siege. Doon sa workshop, ma define ano yung gusto nila kasi ayaw ko na ako ang magsabi, gusto ko sa kanila mismo manggaling [What they want can be defined in the workshop, I don't want to be the one saying it, they should identify what they need themselves]," she said.

For education concerns, MP Latiph said she can allocate a budget for skills training with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. (APB/PIA Lanao del Sur)

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MP Latiph ensures no Bangsamoro learner is left behind, turns over "Siyap ko Kapaganad to LDS schools divisions

Dr. Anna Zenaida Unte Alonto, Marawi City Schools Division Superintendent receives the key of responsibility from Member of Parliament Atty. Maisara Dandamun-Latiph for the "Siyap Ko Kapaganad" Program. The program was launched last December 3, 2020 and has been helping students and parents who are still coping up with the new modular learning/online learning in this time of the pandemic. (Angelo Dologmandin/PIA Lanao del Sur)

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur--Ensuring that all possible means are exhausted so that no Bangsamoro learner will be left behind as the nation continues to fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the Office of Member of Parliament Atty. Maisara Dandamun-Latiph turned over the "Siyap Ko Kapaganad" program to the three schools divisions in the province.

The program which means "care for education" was launched on December 3, 2020 to make education accessible for all learners by providing educational resources such as modules and instructional videos.

MP Latiph said they started the program in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and one of the solutions that they came up with when they were thinking about the Bangsamoro children was an online distance learning program.

"Naisip namin na through the videos, mayroon teachers silang nakikita and at the same time, they would be able to look at their modules and learn together with the video. So mayroon pa rin silang teacher na magtuturo sa kanila at magmomotivate sa kanila na mag-aral," she said.

[We thought that through the videos, they can see the teachers, and at the same time, they would be able to look at their modules and learn together with the video. So they still have a teacher who will teach them and motivate them to study.]

MP Latiph said learning through the videos would not be difficult for the children as they can replay the videos. The videos are also easily accessible and can be viewed through the Siyap ko Kapaganad Facebook page or the kapaganad.com website. The contents can also be downloaded and saved in a flash drive.

For the program to kick off smoothly, the Office of MP Latiph extended technical assistance in terms of website design and management. It also provided financial assistance for ICT focal persons and coordinators per schools divisions and internet load for teachers who serve as content producers. 

A total of 187 videos on Arabic, English, K to 12, Science, and Math curriculum have been produced since the program inception.

As she turned over the Siyap ko Kapaganad program to the three schools divisions in Lanao del Sur, Member of Parliament Atty. Maisara Dandamun-Latiph expresses her hope for the divisions to use the program to open new opportunities and hopes for the Bangsamoro children. (Angelo Dologmandin/PIA Lanao del Sur)

Sustaining Siyap ko Kapaganad 

The Siyap ko Kapaganad program was officially turned over by MP Latiph to Lanao del Sur I, Lanao del Sur II, and Marawi City Schools Divisions on Friday, October 22, for them to sustain the program.

"As we turn over the responsibility of the Siyap ko Kapaganad to your respective divisions, I hope and I pray that you would use it to open new opportunities and hopes for our children. May it become your key for more quality, relevant, effective education, and may this be one of the reasons our children in the Bangsamoro continue to strive towards achieving dreams," MP Latiph said to the recipient schools divisions.

Meanwhile, officials of the three schools divisions expressed their gratitude to MP Latiph and vowed to sustain the program as they saw its positive impacts and heard good feedbacks from stakeholders.

Dr. Jamaila Kapampangan-Marohomsalic, Asst. Schools Division Superintendent for Senior High School of Lanao del Sur II Schools Division, said they included the program in their learning continuity plan and a memorandum will be crafted requiring all capable schools under the division to submit their assigned subject grade level videos that will be utilized for the program.

"It (Siyap Ko Kapaganad) helped our teachers and our learners surpass somehow the challenges brought by COVID-19. The videos are being utilized, most especially to our early grade learners. This will serve as one supplementary strategy in the teaching and learning process," she said.

Dr. Jamaila Kapampangan-Marohomsalic, Asst. Schools Division Superintendent for Senior High School of Lanao del Sur II Schools Division shares that the Siyap Ko Kapaganad has helped their teachers and learners surpass the challenges brought by COVID-19. (Angelo Dologmandin/PIA Lanao del Sur)

Dr. Mu’minah Mumbao Abdul, Asst. Schools Division Superintendent of Lanao del Sur I Schools Division said they will continue to work hand in hand with other schools divisions to bridge education gaps in the province.

Dr. Anna Zenaida Unte Alonto, Marawi City Schools Division Superintendent, also conveyed her thanks for the program as it has given teachers time to shine and break free from their classroom and from all the agitation, distress, and anxiety in this time of the pandemic. 

"As of now, hindi pa po normal ang education sa [education is not yet normal in] Marawi City and we need partners in the delivery of education until our last displaced child is transitioned to a regular and permanent school," she said. (APB/PIA Lanao del Sur)

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