TAGUM CITY BAGS MAJOR AWARDS IN THE
NATIONAL LITERACY CONFERENCE & AWARDS
In celebration of the annual Literacy Week, the Department of Education (DepEd) through the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) in cooperation and coordination with other Government Organizations (GO's), Local Government Units (LGUs) and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) held the National Literacy Conference and Awards for the year 2008 at Teachers Camp, Baguio City on September 17-19, 2008. The theme of the conference which is : "Functional Literacy Towards a Sustainable Future" is very relevant at present in developing functionally literate Filipinos who are imbued with the right values and attitudes and are capable of finding decent means of livelihood.
During the Awarding Ceremony which was held on September 19, 2008 at the Benitez Hall of the Teachers Camp, Baguio City, Tagum City emerged as the 1st Place winner as Outstanding Local Government Unit - Component City Category vesting 4 other finalists which is composed of Surigao City (2nd Place); Kidapawan City (3rd Place); Tacloban City (4th Place) and Sorsogon City (5th Place).
The winning edge of Tagum City was the literacy mapping in 2006 which yielded a literacy rate of 95.24% for people 10-80 yeards old, it has also sustained and expanded the coverage of literacy projects initiated earlier based on mapping results, Tagum City has also maintained close collaboration with 20 NGOs in implementing its literacy projects and has organized 23 Barangay Literacy Coordinating Councils (BLCCs). It is also closely monitoring all its literacy programs and projects and conducts regular evaluation together with the members of the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) of Tagum City and its project implementers. Among its banner literacy projects include the use of a new techno-van for learning sessions to promote mobile literacy, the use of media to promote political literacy which is enhanced by the translation of ordinances into the vernacular, Project REY (Reading Empowers Youth) which is a remediation program through reading clinics and its music literacy which produced a band with more than 1,000 members.
The Honorable Allan L. Rellon, MPA, Vice Mayor of Tagum City received the award in behalf of the Honorable Rey T. Uy, City Mayor of Tagum, Mr. Anwar E. Maadel, MPA, CLCC Head Secretariat, Mrs. Delia Dela Cruz, Executive Assistant III and Mrs. Nilda A. Garcia, MPA, PESO Manager were also present to grace this momentous event for Tagum City.
Also, St. Mary's College of Tagum City through the Mother Ignacia Research and Development (MIRDC), the school's community service arm also won 2nd Place in the Outstanding Literacy Program Category with its entry MIRDC: Improving the Quality of Life Through Literacy and Livelihood Skills Development Towards Empowered Communities. This is the first time that the school participated in a national awards competition hence, the award is very significant. S. Ma. Preciosa M. Rusiana, RVM, SMCT School President received the trophies from the Hon. Ramon C. Bacani, Undersecretary of the Department of Education and Chairman of the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC). Mrs. Virginia L. Cordoves, MIRDC Project Director also received the recognition as Most Outstanding Literacy Implementer for 2008.
