The Lyceum of the Philippines University-Community Outreach and Service Learning (COSeL) received Gold for Community Outreach Award from the recently concluded eLFA 2023 Conference with the theme “Digital Futures of Work and Learning: Forging the Way Ahead” held at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore on November 30 to December 1, 2023.  

The Community Outreach Award is for organizations and individuals demonstrating unwavering passion with outreach to the less fortunate and disadvantaged through the use of technology services to improve the quality of education. 

LPU announced as the Gold Winner for Community Outreach Award 

The Gold Award was in recognition of COSeL’s 13 years of sustained Indigenous Peoples’ Education (IPEd) program with its indigenous communities namely the Agta of Quirino and Isabela, Aeta of Zambales, Batak of Palawan, and Dumagat of Aurora, Quezon., and Rizal. Focusing on its Teaching with Technology (TwT) program which started in 2015 COSeL, Teaching and Learning Innovation Center (TLC), Information and Technology Department (ICT), and College of Technology (COT) worked hand-in-hand in providing computer skills training to teachers and indigenous children in the communities, producing learning materials (charts, AVPs, posters), donating computer equipment and solar lights/panel, and community mapping using GPS in some select areas. In partnership with Microsoft Philippines and IT Works, faculty and student ambassadors have also been tapped as trainers and mentors to almost 300 teachers in indigenous remote areas.  

Assistant Professor Anna Cherylle M. Ramos, Director, Educational Technology Center from UST and eLFA member of the board of directors (3^rd from the left) hands-over the plaque of recognition to Leonora H. Astete, COSeL Director, Devy M. Galang, TLC Director and University Registrar. Also on the photos are Grace Neturada and Melvin Grencio from TLC and Marilou P. Solano from COSeL. 

The Winning Teams. (From Left to Right). Kevin Rodriguez (TLC), Ananbel Bautista (AAO), Marilou Solano (COSeL), Grace Neturada (TLC), Devy Galang (TLC), Jennifer Tucpi (OIC-for Academic Affairs, AAO), Leonora Astete, Dr. Marilyn L. Ngales (CAS/IS Program), Yuri Domingo (COSeL), ad Melvin Grencio (TLC).  

Leonora Astete presents LPU Teaching with Technology (TwT) program in a parallel session during the 2023 eLFA conference. 

As a staunch advocate of IPEd, LPU-COSeL has maximized technology by continuously conducting online teacher training on cultural sensitivity and integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practice (IKSPs) in the classroom, online photography session, IP rights and other advocacy campaign activities specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic in partnership with various organizations such as Assisi Development Foundation, Inc. (ADFI), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Department of Labor- Institute for Labor Studies (DOLE-ILS) to name a few. Every time there is an opportunity for learning even remotely, LPU-COSeL made sure that teachers and learners would have access to it.  

How then do we see empowerment taking place? Technology facilitated an alternative method of  expressing and preserving indigenous languages, songs, dances, rituals, and worldviews. As these were digitalized and communicated, indigenous learners’ confidence to bridge the connection gap brought about by inequalities, discrimination and disadvantages is gradually being addressed.  

To quote Dr. Marilyn L. Ngales, the former director of COSeL and now the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, “Traditional learning takes a lifetime to be imbibed while it takes technology a few moments to preserve it. If done properly, it allows IPs to trace and retrace their traditional bearings anytime without fear of  these being  supplanted by other ideas.”