Abot Alam: Call for Convergence of Boholanos

Governor Edgar Chatto called for convergence of Boholanos on Abot Alam, the national program for Out-of-School Youth (OSY) which was successfully jumpstarted in the Province of Bohol leading to

the Abot Alam Convergence Summit held on Friday, August 29, 2014 at the Metrocentre Hotel in Tagbilaran City.  In his call for convergence, Governor Chatto urged ALL the Local Chief Executives, DepEd officials, Government Agencies and other stakeholders to ensure ZERO OSY in each purok in the province starting 2014.  A tall order but he pointed out that Bohol has the unique system through the purok which can successfully identify the out of school youth who can be assisted either to go back to school, be provided with skills training, or livelihood. Also, with zero OSY, the problems on drugs, illegal gambling, etc, will be addressed. He also issued an Executive Order enjoining ALL LCEs to implement the Abot Alam Program consistent  with the DILG Memorandum dated May 28, 2014, creating the office that will oversee the Abot Alam implementation in Bohol as well as the corresponding personnel required.

The convergence summit was attended by more than half of the Local Chief Executives of Bohol themselves, the rest represented by other LGU officials, as well as DepEd officials from the Central Office, Division of Bohol and Tagbilaran City Division. In the panel discussion were representatives of government agencies with programs for OSY specifically TESDA, DTI, DOLE, BISU, DILG, OPSWD, OPA, OPV, DOST and DA who talked about the programs available, the access policy, and financing or demand side. 

Assisted by The Asia Foundation, Bohol jumpstarted the Abot Alam Program through: (a) the Generation of a Provincial Database on Out of School Youth when Governor Edgar M. Chatto issued an Executive Order to all Municipal Mayor and Barangay Captains  to generate  data on the OSY’s per purok per barangay. This involved mapping, validation, then needs assessment; and (b) Engaging Agencies with Programs for Out-of-School Youth through a triangulation of Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and  a questionnaire.

During the summit, each LCE had a copy of the list of OSY which included specific names, addresses from each LGU which they matched with the available program from the government agencies.  They were also able to interact with the agencies themselves. Governor Chatto stressed the need to validate that data of OSY per purok so that no OSY is left behind.

Also in attendance during the summit were Ms. Gina Estipona, the Abot Alam National Program Manager from the DepEd Central Office as well as representatives from The Asia Foundation namely Ms. Maribel Buenaobra, the Director for Programs and Mr. Henry Grageda, Senior Program Officer of The Asia Foundation Coalitions for Change in Education.

The planning workshop for Abot Alam Implementation facilitated by Ms. Vera Villocido asked each of the LCEs assisted by their coordinating principals to identify what programs can be adopted by the LGU, what resources are needed, what are the budgetary considerations, the sources of funds as well as what agencies can be tapped.

Bohol, being identified as the model of the Abot Alam Program implementation, is set to be the host of the National Launch scheduled on September 30, 2014 which will gather cabinet secretaries of the agencies which signed the Memorandum of Understanding or MOU on the Abot Alam Program. (PR/vav)