The National Literacy Coordinating Council bestowed the 2016 Special Award for Excellence in Literacy to Davao City after the local government has successfully sustained its impressive record in providing quality education to the public.
The award was received by Administrator Zuleika T. Lopez on Thursday in a ceremony attended by top education officials in Quezon City.
The award, Lopez said, was a recognition of the city’s efforts “in making sure that Dabawenyos are not only equipped with basic literacy and numeracy skills, but that there is an empowering environment that will allow them to learn.”
As of last year, the city has a 99 percent literacy rate for children aged 10 years and above, according to Loraida Fabro, an official at the City Planning & Development Office (CPDO).
Davao City was given the Hall of Fame Award for its education programs in 2013 — after having dominated other local government units when it comes to effective implementation of literacy programs in 2008, 2010, 2012.
Lopez said the award was the “cherry on top of the cake as it reinforces the Hall of Fame Award you bestowed on us in 2013 and it will strengthen our resolve to improve our current literacy effort for our people, especially as education is among the 10-point agenda of the City Government.”
Davao City, the only contender for the 2016 Special Award of Excellence in Literacy, has earlier this year been assessed by NLCC. The assessment included an examination of the continued implementation of the programs on literacy and their impact on the public.
Sr. Roseanne Malilin, chair of NLCC Board of Judges, has then noted that the service excellence award is the topmost honor singly recommended for contenders who have been bestowed the Hall of Fame Award.
Davao City the only qualified city in the Philippines in the past 10 years. It has been implementing education programs in urban and rural communities — benefiting lumads, Muslims, children, mothers, persons with disabilities, children of prostituted women, and the youth.
Validated sites were the Samahan ng may Iba’t-ibang Kakayahan sa Dabaw (Sakadab) in Los Amigos, Bahay Pag-asa, Children’s Village Davao City, the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents (DCTRCDD) in Bago Oshiro, the Ray of Hope inside the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology compound, Public Security and Safety Command Center (PSSCC), Central 911, and the
Davao Healthy Lifestyle Programs in Jacinto Street.
“We share this award with everyone who helped make this recognition possible — the Barangay Literacy Coordinating Councils, the Department of Education Davao City Division, and all Dabawenyos for inspiring us to always give our best,” Lopez said. CIO
