Community Extension Services
The External Programs of the University of Batangas, formerly Western Philippine Colleges, was formally started way back in May 20, 1985 with the appointment of Mrs. Remedios L. Cilindro as Dean of External Programs. Nevertheless, the extension services had been an integral part of the school’s plans and programs since its foundation having provided functional literacy, livelihood development projects, feeding programs for malnourished children in depressed areas, coordinated and facilitated the conduct of seminars on drug abuse prevention, responsible parenthood, nutrition, etc. in various schools and communities in Batangas City and suburbs, gift giving to indigents and school children during Christmas and Foundation Days, “Care and Share Program,” “Bigay Puso,” etc.
Vision
The Community Extension Services (CES) as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the university envision a dynamic participation, partnership and volunteerism in providing a holistic development that brings significant impact to the community.
Mission
The Community Extension Services, is committed to promote total development of partner and assisted communities through the enhancement of knowledge and skills shared by UB Volunteer Extension Coordinators that will facilitate equal access to resources and opportunities for the upliftment of the people’s political, social, economic, moral and intellectual life geared toward self-reliance and cohesiveness.
Goals
1. To partner communities where literacy, livelihood, and technology transfer projects can be implemented with the direct and indirect involvement of the UB family.
2. To support medical and dental missions to indigent barangays in coordination and cooperation with services and welfare organizations.
3. To provide staff assistance, lecturers and training on Social, Cultural and Sports components such as anti-drug abuse education, peace and order, theater arts, health and safety, labor laws, cooperative, leadership, culture and sports, etc.
4. To develop and strengthen the human and spiritual aspects of a person or individual through enhancement programs like group dynamics, recollections, retreats, etc.
5. To support environmental awareness and management programs and other community development projects.
Community Development Program System (CDPS)
This is the system being applied by the Students Affairs and External Programs (SAEP) through
its Community Extension Services (CES). This system includes planning, organizing,
coordinating, facilitating and evaluating all programs and activities of the office that support its 5 Key Result Areas such as Economic Development, Human and Social Empowerment, Educational Assistance, Environmental Advocacy and Socio-Civic Support. This system also serves as the outline of the university’s goal to achieve its third core value – Service to Fellowmen, by way of conducting extension programs, outreach activities and service learning. All these activities are geared towards responding to the call for societal transformation by serving the poorest of the poor, the less privileged, the deprived and the oppressed.
The University of Batangas Community Extension Services shall operate on the following
principles:
– Extension service goals should be achieved through the participation of the stakeholders and the University community. The potential of the stakeholders will be identified and developed to the end that the target community shall be trained and capacitated to solve their own problems, make and implement their own decisions.
– The leadership and managerial skills and potentials of the community leaders shall be developed. CES shall prepare the leaders to continue carry on with the project operation after active community extension work by the community shall have ceased.
– The university shall establish a clear time frame. The gradual phase-out of the community extension workers shall be co-terminus with the funding of the extension program as approved by higher and proper authorities
– There shall be continuous monitoring of the project from the initial planning stage and beyond the phase-out/project termination phase. For this reason, the community shall be trained to handle and sustain projects in order to increase the community’s involvement in the management process
– The target community shall be enjoined to a focus group discussion to identify their needs, problems and solutions. The community shall be encouraged and be motivated to seek alternative solutions to their own problems.
The project should prove to be sustainable by:
Advocating organizational policies and sanctions as determined by the respective community;
ii) Institutionalize self-help concepts to bring about internal organizational funding;
iii) Continuing social and technical education for its members.
Procedure for the selection of partner community
The procedures are made to provide criteria on which barangay to partner; what significant intervention that the institution can offer to be able to carry out its mission according to the five (5) program areas (Economic, Human & Social Empowerment, Education Assistance, Environmental Advocacy and Socio– Civic Support).
1. Establish a Committee
A committee from different Colleges/Departments shall be formed headed by the External Programs Coordinator and shall be approved by the SAEP Director, VP SEA and the University President. The committee shall be responsible for the preliminary visitations.
2. Ocular Visitations and Survey Interview
Visitations to the short listed barangays/communities shall be completed and documented. Preliminary interview to the key informants (barangay officials and residents) shall be conducted as basis for the selection. The interview shall be guided by an instrument.
3. Selection Proper
After the visitation and interview, the committee shall select a partner community based on the criteria and guidelines used.
4. Approval of the partner community
The community shall be formally declared as the institution’s partner community after the documents was presented by the committee, reviewed and approved by the SAEP Director, VP SEA and the University President.
Programs
Based from the Key Result Areas, the University of Batangas Community Extension Services implements the following community outreach programs:
1. Economic Development
• Livelihood Program: “Alalay Kita”
This program purposes to introduce, improve, and/or induce viable industries, valuable interventions, or valid innovations to increase economic activity.
• Skills and Technology Transfer Program
This program aims to upgrade the beneficiaries’ level of specialized, occupational, and/or technological competencies.
● Infrastructural Support Program
This program targets to either deliver or facilitate the provision of appropriate physical and/or infrastructural facilities to enhance economic motion.
2. Human and Social Empowerment
• Personhood Enhancement Program
This program aims to encourage spiritual, moral, and emotional empowerment of the individual.
• Social Development Program
This program targets to promote social, political and cultural development as well as enablement.
• Medical Support Program: “Alalay Kalusugan”
This program aims to provide services that support physical and health wellness.
3. Educational Assistance
• Free Evening High School Program
This program purposes to offer free secondary education to working youth, especially to the “Kasamabahay” which could not afford regular schooling.
• Literacy Program
This program targets to make available the opportunities for obtaining basic capabilities in reading, writing and arithmetic.
• School Support Program
This program aims to extend the necessary assistance for the enhancement of learning.
4. Environmental Advocacy and Management
• Environmental Awareness Program
This program intends to develop environmental awareness through seminars, workshops and film presentations to address environmental issues and concern.
• Environmental Projects/ Activities
This program aims to device and implement environmental related projects/activities such as clean-up drive, mangrove rehabilitation, tree planting, waste management and the likes.
• Environmental Organizations
This program purposes to establish an organization in the community (i.e. young, adult and elderly) or strengthen the youth who will lead the protection and management of the environment.
5. Socio-Civic Support
• Touch-A-Heart Program
This program aims to extend love and concern to the indigent/ disadvantaged sector of the society, give joy and relief to the victims of disasters and calamities.
• Socio-Civic Support Program
This program aims to support activities sponsored and organized by the socio-civic community