Women help address learning gaps in Negros Occidental village

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NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – A women-led group in a coastal village in southern Negros Occidental is stepping up to help address educational gaps among young learners by establishing a Neighborhood Parent Support Group (NPSG) to foster reading and writing skills at the community level.

In Barangay Aguisan in Himamaylan City, the NPSG is doing the rounds in its 12 sub-villages to teach young learners, both in and out of school, to make reading an enjoyable and empowering activity.

NPSG-Aguisan president Melisa Valdevia told Rappler on Saturday, April 11, that they encountered challenges when they first started, especially since they were not licensed teachers trained to teach young learners.

READING CORNER. The Neighborhood-Parent Support Group maximizes a portion of its command center as a reading corner for early-grade learners of their village. courtesy of Melisa Vadevia

“It was difficult, but because of the assistance of the teachers of Aguisan Elementary School, we were able to pull it off and went around our village weekly to conduct storytelling and numeracy activities for children to start embracing the love for learning,” she said.

Valdevia said the group was established in 2023 through the ABC+ Project, a partnership among the Department of Education (DepEd), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and Hope Builders Organization Negros Island Incorporated (HBONI).

The project aims to enhance learners’ literacy, numeracy, and social relations skills in the early grades (Grades 1–3), targeting foundational competencies widely recognized as essential for learners’ long-term academic success and broader societal participation.

“This group is not the same as other organizations that offer monetary benefits, but a movement that should be wholeheartedly invested in, where you can receive knowledge that you can apply to your children or grandchildren, and the fulfillment of creating an impact on the community. Now we have helped over 200 learners,” Valdevia said.

Government agencies and civic groups have also supported them, recognizing their achievements at the barangay level and helping establish a command center, where they converted part of the facility into a reading corner, she said.

Valdevia, however, recalled a painful episode when their reading corner was washed away by floods caused by Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) in November 2025, which destroyed nearly all their children’s learning materials.

“The damaged materials saddened us. Still, we hope to restore the reading corner soon so we can once again invite learners to come and enjoy the love of learning,” she said. “In fact, when we first opened the reading corner, our children were the first learners.”

Valdevia expressed hope that, in the coming months, more people will help restore their reading corner and donate children’s books and other learning materials, enabling them to continue teaching young children in every way possible.

Old but gold

The NPSG is not an exclusive but an inclusive group that welcomes even those considered elderly, like 62-year-old Gerlita Aligan, who found happiness in teaching young learners in their village.

“NPSG helped me connect with other people from different walks of life, which I enjoyed,” she said.

She said that when the group has activities, she wakes up as early as possible and finishes her household chores before going to communities that need her help.

“My children are also supportive and happy with my endeavors because they know the genuine happiness that the group has afforded me,” Aligan said.

Fifty-nine-year-old Dory Gestosani also shared the same sentiment, especially the satisfaction she gets every time they realize that, despite their age, they can still contribute something to the younger generation.

“Because of our efforts, it is as if we became registered teachers even though we are not. And we always make sure that we continue to learn, even though we have professional teachers from the elementary school helping us with our initiatives,” she said.

“Frankly, I cannot describe the spark within me – the love of helping others. While my family is my first love, I also deeply value my work for the community. I want to help, especially those who are struggling in their studies. Sometimes, when I see children who are dedicated to learning, I give them money, even when I myself have very little,” Gestosani added.

Meanwhile, HBONI director for administration and finance Andrelyn Bello said the NPSG in Aguisan stood out as one of the most successful and enduring among the NPSGs established in the province, citing achievements such as the consistent organization of weekly storytelling and numeracy activities and the group’s ability to mobilize community support even in the absence of standing funds.

“Despite having no standing funds, they have consistently implemented meaningful activities and mobilized both in-kind and financial support from various stakeholders,” she said.

“Moving forward, HBONI plans to support the group in securing formal accreditation from other government agencies to sustain and further expand its initiatives, even adding a livelihood component to make the group self-sustaining,” she added.

Hurdle

According to the 2025–2026 Comprehensive Reading Literacy Assessment (CRLA) for Early-Grade Learners (EGL) conducted at the beginning of the school year (BOSY) in the Schools Division Office of Himamaylan, 63.49% of learners were identified as struggling.

LOVE FOR READING. A women-led group champions early-grade learning in Barangay Aguisan, Himamaylan City, in Negros Occidental. courtesy of Melisa Valdevia

The data implies that a majority of EGLs face significant literacy challenges. Among those struggling, the largest proportion, 43.37%, were classified as low emerging readers, suggesting that many students are at the initial stages of reading development. Meanwhile, 7.72% were identified as high emerging readers, and 12.4% were considered developing readers.

The data also revealed that 23.37% of learners were classified as transitioning readers, while only 13.13% achieved the Grade Level standard.

Bello emphasized that the CRLA data showed not only the ongoing challenges but also the crucial need for sustained community-based interventions, such as those currently being implemented by the NPSG. – Rappler.com