BukSU’s Extension Program bags 2021 Search for Outstanding COVID-19 Volunteer Award

MALAYBALAY CITY (OP-IPS/10 December 2021) The Regional Development Council-10 awarded Bukidnon State University’s Pag Ambitay daw Ag Kaulian (Share To Heal) University-wide Extension Program as one of three awardees of the Search for Outstanding COVID-19 (SOVV) Volunteers in Northern Mindanao.

The program won the Outstanding COVID-19 Volunteer (Group Category).

The award was given during the regional recognition in time for the 128th Regional Development Council X – Full Council Meeting today held at N Hotel, Kauswagan Highway, Cagayan de Oro Cit. It was also streamed virtually via Zoom.

The award recognized the contributions of individual and group volunteers, including organizations, to the COVID-19 response. Under the group category, organizations must have rendered at least 20 hours of volunteer services in response to COVID-19 for the period of October 2020 to September 2021. The group should have also mobilized at least 20 individual volunteers in carrying out their volunteer projects or activities, has served or assisted at least 20 individual beneficiaries. The volunteer work may be carried out solely by the nominated organization or in partnership with groups and other organizations.

BukSU’s Share To Heal Program was launched on August 2020 and featured 38 digital radio episodes until June 2021. It developed a narrowcasting innovation model as an alternative platform for conducting extension activities in line with health protocols during the pandemic.

As an IEC initiative, Share To heal seeks to combat the COVID-19 infodemic by providing reliable information from experts across nine dimensions of the pandemic and the new normal: health, legal systems, spirituality, culture, education, food security and economic growth, media literacy, mental health and governance. Print and broadcast materials on COVID-19 information were also developed using local and indigenous dialect.

The Pag Ambitay team is composed of 37 faculty extensionists and staff and is headed by Dr. Joy Mirasol, the VP for Research, Extension, and Innovations and as the Project Leader and Dr. Oscar B. Cabanelez, University President, as the Program Leader.

The university launched the Season 2 of the program in October 2021 with an instruction integration component to interface instruction and extension as two of the four-fold functions of Higher Education Institutions. The program also has a research component where a team is tasked to analyze social media and internet postings and allow queries to be answered by invited experts.

The Share To Heal Program is in partnership with the City Government of Malaybalay and the Office of Atty. Jonathan Keith T. Flores, Representative of the 2nd Congressional District of Bukidnon.

The two other winners are Ms. Amirah D. Galmac o Brgy. Lumidong, Pantao Ragat of Lanao del Norte (Individual) and Singanen O Mindanao from Mahayahay, Iligan City (Most Outstanding COVID-19 Volunteer – Group).

All three winners of the regional recognition will be endorsed for national recognition. (Ms. Joanne Vivien Belderol-Necosia/OVPREI)