Radio segment advocating literacy launched in region 8

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
July 8, 2008

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The “Literacy Laban sa Kahirapan” Radio Segment which aims to intensify the Literacy Coordinating Council’s advocacy and social mobilization promoting literacy endeavor through radio broadcast, was launched on July 3 with no less than Literacy Coordinating Council Chairman Ramon Bacani, who is also Department of Education’s Undersecretary.

The launching coincided with the maiden airing of the radio segment live, in seven radio stations in Region 8 strategically located in each of the six provinces of the Region.

The launching was witnessed by the officials of the Literacy Coordinating Council who accompanied Usec Bacani, Dr. Minda Sutaria who is an LCC consultant; Dr. Norma Salcedo who is the executive director; and Ms. Liza Cuizia from the Philippine Information Agency Central Office.

The launching was also witnessed by the officials of the Department of Education Region 8, the Philippine Information Agency Region 8 staff, and the members of the local tri-media.

With the Philippine Information Agency as the project implementor, the Literacy Laban sa Kahirapan radio segment hopes to promote the policy thrusts, directions and programs initiated by the Literacy Coordinating Council; to underscore the importance of functional literacy in the empowerment of people and in poverty and hunger mitigation efforts.

Through the Radio segment, the Literacy Coordinating Council hopes to convince the parents on the importance of sending their children to school or to non-formal schools for out of school children; and to encourage out of school youth and Indigenous people to avail of non-formal schools, placements and assessment programs.

More importantly, the Literacy Laban Sa Kahirapan seeks to serve as an instrument of functional literary.

The once a week radio segment will be aired at Radio Diwa and DYVL Aksyon Radyo in Tacloban City, Leyte; Radio Natin in Naval, Biliran; DYDM in Maasin, Southern Leyte; DYMS in Catbalogan City, Samar; DYES in Borongan City, Eastern Samar; and DYSM in Catarman, Northern Samar.

Although the maiden airing was hosted by PIA Director Olive Tiu and was done simultaneously in all the seven radio stations, the radio segment in its succeeding episodes will be hosted by PIA Director Olive Tiu in Tacloban City; Manager Flor Jackson in Biliran; Manager Erna Gorne in Southern Leyte; Manager Ninfa Quirante in Samar; Manager Alice Nicart in Eastern Samar; and Manager Nene Manzanares in Northern Samar.

This will be so because the respective province’s dialect will be used in the succeeding episodes. Director Tiu said that although the dialect in Leyte and Samar is called waray, there is the Estehanon Waray and the Nortehanon Waray which vary greatly. Both Southern Leyte and Biliran speak the Cebuano dialect but they also have different versions of Cebuano.