“Respectful, reciprocal, genuine relationships lie at the heart of the community life and community development” ― Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples
PANGANDOY, a community-based education extension program, is dedicated to localizing, indigenizing, and enhancing the educational program at Bagobo Tagabawa Christian School to align with the community’s educational and social context. This initiative supports the K to 12 Education Curriculum and culture-sensitive and inclusive education. Recently, PANGANDOY launched a five-day writeshop to develop learning materials tailored specifically for the Bagobo-Tagabawa community.
The Bagobo-Tagabawa Indigenous Peoples (IP) students of Astorga, Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, face numerous challenges in their educational journey due to socio-economic disadvantages and unfair treatment. These challenges have made it difficult for them to succeed in school, especially during and after the pandemic. PANGANDOY aims to address these issues by developing culturally sensitive educational materials specifically designed for the Bagobo-Tagabawa Indigenous Peoples (IP) in the province. These materials will include lesson plans and instructional resources that take into account the unique cultural, linguistic, and social contexts of the Bagobo-Tagabawa learners. The project strives to empower both Bagobo-Tagabawa IP teachers and learners, promoting retention, reducing absenteeism, and ultimately enhancing academic outcomes.
The first day of the Pangandoy Writeshop: Capacity-building in Writing Bagobo-Tagabawa Learning Materials (Phase 2) kicked off earlier at the Velvet Suites and Hotel, Davao City.
Dr. Marnie Grace I. Sonico, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, encouraged the different teams involved in the project knowing that PANGANDOY is not just a mere project of the college — it is also a tool for empowering others in their community. The activity leader, Dr. Catherine M. Roble, delivered a recap of Phase 1 of PANGANDOY, highlighting the success and impacts of the series of training workshops.
University President Dr. Bonifacio G. Gabales, Jr. emphasized the significance of ensuring that IP are included and involved in the crafting of their learning curriculum and resources as a means for language and culture revitalization while also invoking authenticity, ownership, and support of the IP’s right to self-determination. Dr. Gabales also shared that the University’s motto, “We build dreams without limits,” is magnified and realized when USeP enables the Bagobo-Tagabawa to dream of an education program that will help them preserve their culture and identity.
In a moving speech, Matanem Renante Talabon thanked the University for its service to the Bagaobo-Tagabawa community in Astorga. “Ang storybooks, literature, na inyong gibuhat nakatabang aron among mga estudyante makakat-on sa among kultura,” Matanem Renante said. He also praised the extension program, specifically referring to the story books that featured translated versions of Bagobo-Tagabawa indigenous community in Astorga. These books were translated and produced by students of the Master of Arts in Literature program. He also said that the University is not just a partner, it has become a family to the Bagobo-Tagabawa community in Astorga.
The rest of the day was spent with an interactive writeshop of the different teams for English, Mathematics, and Filipino subjects, respectively. The writeshop will last until September 06, 2024.
Truly, PANGANDOY embodies the University’s core values by bringing community development through active involvement and collaboration with the community itself.
Captions by Maria Danica P. Ching
Photos by Frank Llyod de la Cruz
