19/05/2026
๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฝ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, Mindanao State University โ General Santos, in partnership with the Conrado & Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc., convened key stakeholders from across the provinceโincluding the Department of Education (DepEd), Local Government Units (LGUs), educators, development partners, and community representativesโthrough the conduct of the ๐ฅ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ held on May 11, 2026, at the Greenleaf Hotel Gensan in General Santos City.
Anchored on the call to โ๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ,โ the gathering served as a collaborative platform where participants confronted pressing literacy challenges, exchanged insights, and strengthened collective action toward inclusive and sustainable literacy development in the province.
Throughout the discussions, participants highlighted the complex and interconnected realities surrounding literacy, including systemic, institutional, health-related, and socio-cultural barriers experienced by learners, particularly those in geographically isolated and indigenous communities. Moreover, stakeholders emphasized how ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐, ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐, ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ continue to hinder the delivery of quality education in Sarangani Province.
Across the three panel discussions, speakers and stakeholders underscored the importance of ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐ด๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐.. In addition, the conversations emphasized the need to redefine literacy beyond the traditional concepts of reading and writing toward functional literacy that empowers learners to actively participate in society while recognizing indigenous knowledge systems and local contexts.
Programs and initiatives such as the Tara Basa Tutoring Program, Bayan Ko, Teacher Ko, Catch-Up Clubs, and other community-based literacy efforts were presented as emerging practices that demonstrate the value of collaboration, volunteerism, and shared responsibility in addressing literacy gaps. Furthermore, the discussions reinforced the idea that sustainable literacy development requires convergence among government agencies, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and local communities.
More than a dialogue, the event became a ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ปโa reminder that literacy is not solely an educational concern but a shared social responsibility that demands inclusive, culturally grounded, and people-centered solutions.
As emphasized during the synthesis, true success lies in convergence, co-ownership, and the shared commitment to ensuring that โ๐ง๐จ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ.โ
