Wed, Nov 13, 2024

TSU, LGU Pura to implement projects for community welfare, culture, digital services

Tarlac State University's Center for Community and Local Governance Studies and Policy Development and the local government of Pura entered into three partnerships to empower the community and foster a suitable environment for the children's future.

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Tarlac State University's Center for Community and Local Governance Studies and Policy Development and the local government of Pura entered into three partnerships to empower the community and foster a suitable environment for the children's future.

The memoranda of agreement signing was held on Wednesday morning (November 13) at the LGU Pura auditorium.

The CCLGSPD prepared three projects for the LGU, namely Program Revitalization of Information System Management (Project PRISM), Consultancy and Research on Localizing Child Protection Policy in the Municipality of Pura (CARE PURA), and Pura's Folklore: From Oral Tradition to Documented Heritage, which are all externally funded by the LGU.

"We are building a relationship, and a relationship cannot last without love, so that's what we do in Pura. Because today, we are going to bind our families of TSU and the municipality of Pura... We are here, the TSU, to bind today for this significant event so that we may be able to share our expertise together with the different faculty members of TSU and share this for free because it is our commitment and dedication," CCLGSPD Director Dr. Cynthia G. Quiambao said in her speech.

TSU President Dr. Arnold E. Velasco signed the MOA on behalf of the university and in the presence of selected university officials and project heads.

"Selected faculty members from the university will share their extensive knowledge and strategies for effectively overseeing the policies for our children and discuss theoretical concepts, practical strategies, and real-life examples to provide valuable insights for the community... This partnership is of utmost importance, and we are dedicated to its success," Pres. Velasco said in his statement of commitment.

Pura Vice Mayor Bernabe Idmilao represented Mayor John Paul Balmores in the signing, who expressed his gratitude to the university, noting that the projects are "extremely beneficial" to their constituents.

“Ito po ay hindi para sa ating sa mga sarili; ito po ay para sa ating mga mamayan, lalo na dito sa bayan ng Pura at sa probisnya ng Tarlac through TSU. Just call us and we will be there, kami naman po ang bibisita po sa inyo sa TSU,” Vice Mayor Idmilao said.

The three projects will be implemented in Pura LGU until 2026.

Since 2016, TSU has been extending assistance to the LGU through various extension projects.

Creating a child-friendly municipality

CCLGSPD and Pura LGU are set to craft a localized child protection policy. This will also help them monitor the reported cases of Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL), cases of child abuse, bullying, and children at risk.

CARE Pura will also offer legal assistance through the School of Law's Legal Aid Clinic with the help of the Pura Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO).

Moreover, the university will extend its guidance counseling expertise through the College of Arts and Social Sciences' Psychology Department.

Through CARE Pura, a capacity-building program will be conducted, along with implementing a local development plan for children. Soon, printed materials on child protection and welfare advocacy will be posted and distributed around Pura town.

Preserving Culture and Oral Traditions

The Pura's Folklore project will work on preserving and promoting cultural heritage and community development. Through the storytelling strategy using folk takes, the project seeks to promote literacy and observe gender sensitivity.

The outputs of this project can be used as educational resources by incorporating these as reference materials in schools.

The project also aims to document the town's heritage and oral traditions.

On Digitization

Toward digitization, the Project PRISM will be a joint project of the CCLGSPD and CCS to establish a database for the LGU that will help in the municipality's planning.

The project aims to conduct a comprehensive review of the municipality's current database for assessment. The Center will design a more modern and efficient database system to provide better services to the LGU's stakeholders and clients.

The Center will also conduct training and assist the LGU in migrating existing data from the old database to the new database. (jlmm-OPA)

Photo by Franc Lewis R. Juanatas