STO. TOMAS, Pampanga – The Don Honorio Ventura State University-Sto. Tomas Campus (DSTC) signed two memoranda of agreement on information and communication technology and digitalization with its community partners here on Nov. 7
The MOAs form part of the DSTC Extension Unit projects in collaboration with the College of Computing Studie (CCS), DHVSU Main Campus, Extension Services Office (ESO) with the intended community beneficiaries namely, San Matias Elementary School (SMES) and Barangay Council of San Matias.
The first MOA with SMES dubbed “Beyond the Classroom Walls: Expanding Horizons with Digital Learning Extension Program” covered ICT technological training advancement in areas as essential hardware and software skills, graphic designing using Canva, and productivity tools such as MS Excel, mobile video editing, communication and collaboration tools, and Cloud services.
The second MOA with the San Matias Barangay Council titled “COMET: Community Empowerment through Technology” focused on video editing, information organization, internet safety, and Cloud services, among others.
Signatories to the MOAs were Jovita Rivera, campus director, DSTC; Joel Canlas, dean, CCS; Juanito L. Rigor, Principal II, and Bernadette Yco, Teacher III, both of SMES; barangay kagawad Joseph Lingat representing barangay chairman Nelson Manalese; Jeffrey Gomez, extension unit coordinator, DSTC and project leader and Reden Paul Hernandez, extension unit coordinator, CCS and ICT area specialist and project leader.
Witnesses to the signing were ESO Center managers Engr. Inla Diana Salonga, Eloisa Mendoza, Dean Lapuz, and Ma. Ferdelyn Coutinho as representatives of ESO director Engr. Rhoderick Favorito, and Leslie Ann Soller, barangay secretary.
Rivera thanked the officials and attendees for “another milestone in the history of the campus,” adding “this is the best way to show to the society the appreciation to the immediate community in sharing and extending the best effort and resources both human and material resources in the realization of this collaboration that it is in giving that we receive.”
Gomez expressed his gratitude to the campus director, ESO, and CCS for their “unceasing support to and collaboration with DSTC Extension Unit projects, as well as, to the partner beneficiaries for their trust in DHVSU.”
Canlas said they are committed to collaboration and services with their readiness to reach out to the community in providing service and technological support.
“In a rapidly evolving digital world, we aim to bridge the digital divide, empowering individuals with new skills and resources that can open doors to new opportunities,” noted Rivera.
In their response, Rigor referenced the collaboration through the MOAs to “Ubuntu,” an African word for “I am because you are” which refers to a value system about interconnected of individuals with their societal surroundings and physical world that “it is a manifestation of generosity of partnership and of convergence between DHVSU and SMES through their shared expertise and resources.”
Lingat, on behalf of Barangay San Matias, thanked the DHVSU community for the opportunity “to be one of the beneficiaries of the noble undertaking for the enhanced social services in the barangay with the digitalization extension services.” Press release
