On November 12, 2022, the Office for External Relations and Global Linkages (OERGL) together with the Center for Service-Learning and Community Engagement (CSCE), was joined by a total of 53 volunteers from both the Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna (Mapúa MCL) college and alumni community for the tree-planting activity, One Tree at a Time, in support of Sustainable Development Goal #15, Life on Land.

A “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now into the future” (United Nations) is what Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are in a nutshell. The SDGs are made up of 17 interconnected goals that intend to make sure that people will continuously enjoy what planet Earth has to offer. This call to action believes in the importance of sustainability in eradicating poverty, improving health and education, reducing inequality, and igniting economic growth.

SDG #15: Life on Land, aims to protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and forests. With the drive and commitment to help achieve this global goal, OERGL reached out to the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Sta. Cruz, Laguna to conduct a tree-planting activity in contribution to the National Greening Program mandated by

Executive Order 193, s. 2015 that targets to plant 1.5 billion trees from 2011 until its expanded coverage in 2028.

The volunteers were also assisted by the Siniloan Tenured Migrants’ Association, who helped clean up and prepare the site. Marissa Cepeda, one of the members of the people’s organization, said that initiatives such as this truly help the different communities surrounding the area and beyond, especially when a typhoon hits. A total of 500 seedlings, composed of bignay and kasoy, were planted by the student and alum volunteers.

The locale of the tree-planting is in one of the 68 protected areas – Siniloan, Laguna, where Mount Romelo sits. It is at the southwest border of the Sierra Madre mountain range which is known for stabilizing the soil and water flow and being the buffer of several provinces and cities from being greatly affected by calamities.

CSCE Director, Ms. Jocelyn Bellin, shared, “CSCE remains committed to upholding these SDGs because it has a trickle-down effect on the other equally important goals.” She also added that community engagements should always be anchored on the key elements of the Sustainable Development Goals.

These goals will only remain as goals if not acted upon. Mapúa MCL shall continue to both perseveringly promote these goals and be a dedicated and dependable part of the action towards achieving them.

Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna (Mapúa MCL) has always been committed to promoting social responsibility and community service to its students, employees, faculty members, and alumni. Therefore, before concluding the year 2022, the project titled, At the Frontlines of Social Responsibility: Christmas Community Engagement Series was activated – a series of service-learning and community service activities in Mapúa MCL’s adopted communities in collaboration with the Center for Service-Learning and Community Engagement (CSCE) and the various departments.

Volunteers composed of students, employees, and alumni conducted their first Christmas community engagement since the pandemic, at Barrio Pasbul, Porac, Pampanga last December 17, 2022.

Assistant Vice-President for Strategic Partnerships and Global Linkages, and concurrently the Director of the Alumni Center, Prof. James Ronald Mesina shared that this project started in 2015 when some alumni and student volunteers visited the community for a Christmas Outreach. It was followed by several community engagement activities in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

The Aetas community in Pasbul, Porac, Pampanga is located within the 10-kilometer danger zone of Mount Pinatubo. They were displaced during the volcanic eruption in 1991 but chose to remain in their ancestral lands years after. The community has nearly 200 families in the three (3) sitios: Cuyucot, Liplip and Patal.

From December 7, 2022, students, alumni, employees, and faculty members signed up and volunteered to be a part of the spirit of giving by donating their 3Ts – time, talent, and treasure. Overall, 60 volunteers joined the engagement itself along with over a hundred donors who supported the activity through their in-kind and financial contributions.

To make the day more productive and eventful, each volunteer was assigned to a team with assigned community service tasks. The team in charge of the program conducted several games involving both the volunteers and the Aeta children. This encouraged everyone to connect and interact with the members of the community even more. An unforgettable time was shared with everyone and at the same time, the children had a lot of fun earning and winning various prizes from the donations.

Each committee efficiently collaborated during the engagement. While the games committee were entertaining the Aeta children, another team was appointed to prepare the packed donations that were distributed to the families of the community in Barrio Pasbul. Each pack contained rice, eggs, canned goods, and other easy-to-prepare food products that can basically fulfill the primary needs of an average Filipino family.

The food committee, on the other hand, prepared a filling and bountiful lunch in which all ingredients were from donations of people both inside and beyond the Mapúa MCL community. The meals were then served by the volunteers to the local community. Lunchtime was a communal moment because not only was food shared together as stories about the community’s interesting culture, traditions, and history were learned upon by the volunteers as well.

Mapúa MCL always makes sure to align its community engagements to the Sustainable Development Goals. For this community engagement, the institution aimed to incorporate SDG #2, Zero Hunger and SDG #3, Good Health and Well-being. While projects such as this aren’t immediate solutions to these societal problems, to do it consistently and passionately is always a step closer to achieving it.

 

by Reinhold Gabriel Catangay

As classes began to revert to face-to-face set-up, schools started preparing to welcome their students back with renewed commitment and hope. Throughout the years spent in lockdown, and finally being offered to participate in face-to-face sessions, this year’s school opening has been greatly anticipated by both students and school facilitators.  

The Center for Service-Learning and Community Engagement (CSCE) will stand as the liaison between Malayan Colleges Laguna, A Mapúa School (MCL) and its external partners by implementing the strategic response which focuses on upholding its services to provide better footing for those in need. Gisgis and Galalan Elementary Schools in Barangay Galalan, Laguna are just some of MCL’s beneficiaries over the years.  

Prior to the pandemic, Gisgis and Galalan ES, both under Mr. Rodante Cadsawan Pañoso’s guidance, were exclusively invited to participate in MCL’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony last 2019. Last August 5, 2022, the MCL CSCE team, led by its Director, Ms. Jocelyn T. Bellin, visited Galalan Elementary School to hand out school supplies such as notebooks, intermediate pads, books, and pencils. Umbrellas and water tumblers were given as well, which included those for the Gisgis ES. 

During the visit, Ms. Jocelyn T. Bellin, Director of MCL CSCE and Mr. Rodante Cadsawan Pañoso, Head of Gisgis & Galalan ES School, conversed about the challenges the schools faced and are currently facing due to the health crisis. Due to the place being secluded, and schools being situated on high land, internet connectivity proved to be challenging in trying to keep up with the online learning environment.  Despite the limitations, Mr. Pañoso and his co-teachers conducted house-to-house visits and delivered the modules to their students themselves every Monday and collected them at the end of the week. Another strategy proven to be effective was the help of local barangays in securing the modules in the Barangay Hall where the parents were able to retrieve it at their own convenience. Thanks to their effort, both Gisgis and Galalan ES have a zero (0) percent student dropout rate. 

 

The CSCE then visited the Panguil River Eco Park (PREP) to discuss how the MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) with MCL-CSCE can be renewed under the new local government leadership. From solar panel lights created by MITL students in 2020, the CSCE has identified other projects which can be integrated into future SL (Service–Learning) and CE (Community Engagements) initiatives. One of these is establishing a well-organized web page for the eco–park and organizing a learning session on the advantages of using solar panels, among others.  

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With the possible meeting with LGU Pangil’s newly elected mayor, Mayor Gerald Aritao, the MCL CSCE team hopes to find a common ground with the local municipality in furthering its goal of developing a strong commitment to civic engagements to actualize the advancement of a prosperous and better opportunity for the local community.