Abot-Alam program targets zero out of school youth

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines -— This progressive city has been chosen by the Department of Education (DepEd) as as one of the five pilot areas in the entire country for its Abot-Alam Program that envisions “zero” out-of-school youth in the Philippines up to the year 2016 by providing them with education via 10-month short course and livelihood skills.

Mayor Belen Fernandez thanked the DepEd for choosing Dagupan City during an orientation last April 7 at the City Museum.

Aside from Dagupan, the other pilot areas are the cities of Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga, Santiago and Iloilo.

“We thank our President for this noble program on education and for Dagupan being chosen as one of the only five pilot areas in the entire country,” Fernandez said.

She added that the city is ready to take on the challenge of putting to zero the number of out-of-school youth in all the city’s 31 barangays as she assured that the city government will give its full support to all the barangays in implementing the program.

The mayor also said that Dagupan is blessed this year as it has been constantly getting support from the national government such as the 1,000 additional scholars from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, additional Philhealth cards from 4,000 to 12,000 beneficiaries, fund for the construction of a two-story building of West Central 2 Elementary School and P2 million fund from the DILG for river dredging operations.

Fernandez sought the participation of the 31 punong barangays in creating  a comprehensive data base on the number of out-of-school youth in their respective  barangays.

The program is divided into three phases namely registration, integration and monitoring.