21/07/2026
DEBESMSCAT and DepEd SDO Masbate Province Launch Project TUKLAS and Project TUKDU via New Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa, Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology (DEBESMSCAT) and the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Masbate Province officially entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing on July 21, 2026, at SDO Masbate Province, Masbate City, to roll out Project TUKLAS (Teachers Unlocking Knowledge through Localized Action-Research Solutions) and Project TUKDU (Training and Upskilling in Knowledge Delivery and Utilization).
Project TUKLAS is designed to facilitate classroom-based action research training for DepEd teachers, while Project TUKDU is established to bridge higher education expertise and basic education needs by providing a "Volunteer Speakers Bureau" for School Learning Action Cell (SLAC) sessions covering topics such as literacy, numeracy, pedagogy, GAD, mental health, and ICT integration, to be implemented in the Municipality of Cawayan, Masbate. Implementation and duration are effective from August 2026 until December 2030, unless terminated earlier.
Based on the agreement, DEBESMSCAT will provide volunteer faculty experts and speakers, share relevant learning materials, cover volunteer travel and transportation expenses from the Campus Extension Fund, and ensure compliance with Child Protection Committee rules. SDO Masbate, on the other hand, agreed to endorse the initiatives, arrange local venues and equipment (LCD projectors, laptops, and sound systems), shoulder participant and speaker meals and snacks via MOOE funds, and implement a re-entry plan tracking teacher performance through tools like COT-RPMS.
The partnership was formalized in the presence of Dr. Arnel B. Millesca, SUC President III; Mr. Joel E. Caolboy, CESO VI, OIC Schools Division Superintendent; Dr. Rodolfo B. Burac Jr., Vice President for Research, Extension, Innovation, Creative Works, and Knowledge Management; Prof. Dennis G. Corlet, Director, TAExS/Project Leader; Mr. Anthony V. Alimonsurin, DEBESMSCAT-Cawayan Campus Extension Coordinator/Project Leader; Ms. Carla A. Velarde, Project Leader; Mr. Gerald B. Olivar, Senior Education Program Specialist, Human Resource Development; Mr. Alexander G. Poldo, Senior Education Specialist, Social Mobilization and Networking; and Mr. Jobert A. Bonita, Education Development Specialist II, Resource Development.
At the heart of these initiatives is a shared commitment to uplifting Masbateรฑo educators and learners alike. By combining resources and opening doors for genuine collaboration, Project TUKLAS and Project TUKDU are set to create real, lasting ripples of positive change in classrooms across the province, proving that when institutions work hand in hand, the future of our local education system shines a little brighter.