A daycare center in Brgy. Campawan in the Municipality of Baganga, Davao Oriental, finally opened its doors to preschool tots during its inauguration on Sunday, 14th July 2013. The daycare center in Sitio Kasunugan in Brgy. Campawan is the second daycare center in Baganga that is funded by Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) as part of its post-Pablo rehabilitation projects. The daycare center in Brgy. Mikit, together with the wet and dry market in Brgy. Lambajon, were inaugurated on 6th June at the height of the implementation of the Inductee Exposure Program (IndEx), an exposure program for ADDU faculty at the tertiary level managed by the Arrupe Office of Social Formation.
The inauguration in Campawan was attended by the personnel and staff of the Arrupe Office headed by its Community Engagement Officer (CEO) who acted as the Project Manager, Mr. Karl Anthony Ebol; the Chair of University Engagement and Advocacy Council (UCEAC), Atty. Romeo T. Cabarde, Jr.; the Parish Priest of the Sacred Heart of Lambajon and Arrupe’s major partner in its multiple engagements in Baganga both for its Ateneo Student Exposure Program (ASEP) last summer and the IndEx in June, Fr. Darwey P. Clark, DCM; the teacher-in-charge of the daycare center, Ms. Concepcion Morales, the student participants of last summer’s ASEP, Mr. Leendolph Te, Mr. Peter John Comoda, and Ms. Allen Faith Cape, and other members of the community in Sitio Kasunugan.
This is the third inauguration of the three (3) completed post-Pablo rehabilitation and reconstruction projects started last summer at the end of the implementation of the ASEP. In April, the Arrupe Office proposed to the UCEAC projects that would address immediate and essentials needs of its partner communities that participated in the ASEP and IndEx. With the approval of the Office of the President in the use of the university funds and that of its donors, the following projects were implemented in the areas in Baganga: Rehabilitation of wet and dry market in the poblacion of Lambajon, and the rehabilitation and reconstruction of daycare centers in Upper Mikit and Campawan. Based on Arrupe’s area scanning, these projects were identified as essential in these communities, especially in areas that took a heavy beating from the onslaught of Tropical Storm (TS) Pablo which hit Davao Oriental and ComVal Region in December of 2012. Along with the reconstruction of these daycare centers, the Arrupe Office also distributed school kits for the pupils consisting of backpacks, colouring books, notebooks, papers, pencils, and other necessary school supplies.
Last Sunday’s inauguration in Campawan, a barangay located in the mountain area of Baganga (just like Upper Mikit) which can only be reached by crossing a river, and with a distance of around 10 (ten) kilometers from Lambajon poblacion, was well attended by daycare pupils totalling fifty-six (56).
The proposed rehabilitation and reconstruction of an elementary classroom in Upper Mikit, the fourth phase of the approved project, is still pending and would immediately start as soon as the logistical preparations are ready. (by M. Isabel S. Actub, Arrupe Communications & Advocacy)