By Czarina Berlynn Donne Agustin

To continue the broadcast of Mariano Marcos State University’s milestones in its core functions and to sustain its wide reach to stakeholders, the university renewed its partnership with the Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS), Bureau of Broadcast Services (BBS) through the DWFB Radyo Pilipinas, Laoag.

To be in effect for 20 years, the partnership was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis and Station Manager Celestina C. Paz last April 28.

A prior 20-year agreement was entered into by the two parties in May 2002 which allowed the MMSU Extension Directorate to broadcast university developments, targeting Ilokano communities in the province of Ilocos Norte.

The agreement includes the continued airing of the university’s radio programs every Wednesday and Friday from 12:00 to 1:00 in the afternoon. These include the MMSU: Rimat ti Ilocandia, disseminating MMSU information and technologies which could be adopted by communities; and, the School-on-the-Air (SOA), a learning program where MMSU experts discuss topics on home technology, livelihood and entrepreneurship, health and wellness, disease awareness and sanitation, food processing and value adding, crop production and vegetable gardening, environment protection and climate change, livestock raising, medicine, among others. Recently, more than 1,000 Ilocanos have completed the SOA program titled Tarabay iti Pagtaengan, Pagbiagan, Salun-at (TIPPS) ken Dadduma Pay.

“Through these programs, we hope that more stakeholders will be empowered and updated about the breakthroughs in the university, our way to help communities grow,” Dr. Agrupis said.

 
Additionally, the agreement expressed the continued conduct of on-the-job training of MMSU students in the DWFB Radyo Pilipinas, Laoag, particularly those whose majors are in development communication, radio communication, radio electronics and electronic communication engineering. The MOA also stated the station’s commitment to provide jobs for MMSU graduates.

Joining the MOA signing were the Vice President for Planning and Development Engr. Ami Ruth R. Cocson, Vice President for Administration and Finance Dr. Oscar M. Agpaoa, Legal Officer Atty. Ma. Saniata R. Marcos, Director for Extension Directorate Dr. Marilou P. Lucas, and Director for Office for Strategic Communication Prof. Herdy L. Yumul.

The partnership is among the active efforts of the university in forwarding the utilization of its research and technological developments to empower citizens toward an improved socio-economic life. (HLY/JVBT,StratCom)