Angelo Acedera, Press Release, Communication Management Office
The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) launched its Education on Wheels (EOW) program in the communities of Payatas and Tatalon in Quezon City this January 2024, bringing quality education and opportunities to marginalized sectors of the community. The classes held in Payatas and Tatalon are expansions of the program pioneered in 2020 at Smokey Mountain, Tondo, Manila.
“Ang pinaka primary objective nito is to bring education closer doon sa mga di makapag-aral, so since ang ating university ay free education kaya inilapit namin yung libreng edukasyon dun sa mga kabataan na hindi makapasok sa unibersidad,” PUP President Dr. Manuel Muhi said.
(The primary objective [of this project] is to bring education closer to underprivileged learners. State universities are currently offering free education, so we wanted to the same for individuals who are initially deprived of reaching college.)
EOW is a bus converted into a classrom. It is designed to take college education directly to communities where people are often unable to reach universities due to financial constraints and/or other adversities. The bus is equipped with collapsible tables, chairs, and whiteboards, and can accommodate 40-50 students. Solar panels are also installed to provide energy for airconditioning and other electricity needs.
The first module of classes in Payatas were held on January 17, 24, and 31; while in Tatalon, physical classes were launched on January 18, 25, and February 1. These marked the beginning of new opportunities in learners’ lives.
“Plano ko po talaga bumalik sa pag-aaral this year. Hindi basta-bastang opportunity ito dahil yung EOW na yung lumalapit sa barangay namin. [Ako po] ine-expect ko sa EOW more learnings, more programs na ganito kasi hindi lang parents at kabataan ang pwedeng matulungan. Libre po siya, malaking bagay yun. Sa mga tulad namin, napakagandang opportunity nito. Nagpapasalamat po kami sa mga bumubuo ng EOW, sa barangay din namin na katulong sa EOW,” Alicia del Rosario- Mamorno, first year EOW student from Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City stated.
(I plan to return to school this year. EOW is an important opportunity especially because it’s already located in our barangay. I expect to learn more, to see more programs like this because it helps our parents, us young people, and also our community. The fact that it is free is already a boost in itself. I am thankful to the organizers of EOW and to our barangay officials for helping us secure this opportunity.)
“Laking opportunity po nito. Kapag natapos ko po, I think mas mag-level up ako, mas maraming matutulungan lalo na’t nagvo-volunteer din ako. Hindi tayo dapat natatpos sa kung anong kaya natin, bagkus in our everyday lives ay nagpapatuloy tayo,” Rex Mandevil, first year EOW student from Payatas, Quezon City shared.
(“This is really a big opportunity. As an active community volunteer, I am confident that I would improve my capacities once I finish this course. Volunteers like me would benefit immensely from this experience. I’ve always said that we should not limit ourselves amid our circumstances. We should continue to persevere in our everyday lives.”)
The implementation of the EOW program in Payatas and Tatalon was made possible through the collaboration of generous sponsors who share a common vision of providing support and assistance to lifelong learners.
“Mayroon kaming ka-tie up na local government kasi yun yung problema rin namin: how are we going to sustain the program ’no? Siguro kung mayroon na mga non-governmental organizations na willing to partner with us, pwede nilang i-shoulder yung ilang expenses na ico-cover nung operations namin. Madali nating matutulungan yung mga kabataang estudyanteng ’di makapag-aral,” he added.
(“We are actively working with local governments to overcome our main challenge: ’how are we going to sustain the program?’ If there are non-governmental organizations who are willing to partner with us, they can shoulder some operational expenses. We could help more young people who are unable to study and go to college through this program.”)
The EOW commenced in Smokey Mountain, Tondo, Manila in 2020 amid the mobility restrictions imposed by the pandemic. All learners under EOW are pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Office Administration degree. Students from EOW are now in their fourth year of studying and are set to graduate this September 2024.
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