Community extension projects are considered pivotal initiatives for state universities and colleges (SUCs), like CPSU, in bridging its programs to create constructive relationships between communities and the government institutions. These are perceived as essential and viable as it leads to more equitable, sustainable collaborations for the achievement of common goals of both parties, while also improving the livability of the local communities.
This is proven in the series of community training workshops conducted by the University Community and Extension Services Office (ECSO) in various localities in the region. The recent one is done just this August 11, 2021 on the “Training-Workshop on Household-based designing and Installation of Solar Home System” at Sitio Malabago, Brgy. Tagukon, Kabankalan City.
In this activity, the team provided free solar panel, equipped with controller and inverter, including light bulbs and a transistor radio installed and ready for the family’s use.
The beneficiary of the said training and installation was the Tolentino Family. The head of the family, Manong Reynaldo, works as a freelance carpenter and his pay serves as the family’s main source of income. While his wife, Manang Jocelyn Tolentino, tends to their eight (8) children and manages the housework and other chores.
With the tight budget that the family had to manage for their daily needs, the priority is focused on more essential needs especially for their children.
The family’s longest travail is on the unavailability of electricity in their area for the longest time that they could remember. Hence, this project of CPSU is considered a great help and a blessing for their family especially in performing their evening chores, and in the studies of their children.
The singular trade-off for this project as stated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is for the recipient family to initiate protection and conservation of the remaining forest patches, propagation and planting of fruit tree seedlings in the hedgerows of their farm lots and adopt organic farming as part of the advocacy of the University.
Dr. Aladino Moraca, CPSU president, stated that extending various forms of assistance to the local folks through sharing of practical skills, innovations and technologies help shape and improve the community’s future, bringing with it not only societal change but inevitable global impacts.
“Engaging in practical and efficient community development to benefit both sides are essential for the community’s well-being. We deliver to them life-changing assistance, while they also protect our environment. In the process, we build relationships by making genuine connections with them, and finding ways that we can contribute for their economic alleviation and decent living,” Dr. Moraca stated.
This is the winning strategy of the University to best combat forest denudation and environment degradation especially in its protected areas by partnering with the locals to help the University in keeping watch and in safeguarding the environment to be done by the residents themselves.
The said activity was headed by Dr. Jimmy Degillo, ECSO director, in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and the College of Criminal Justice Education (CCJE).
By: J.A.Emoy