Educo Philippines and the Department of Education (DepEd) Region V have renewed their strong partnership with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will extend their collaboration from 2026 to 2030. The signing, led by the directors of the said organizations last September 8, 2025, reaffirmed a shared vision to create safer, more inclusive, and empowering learning environments for children in Bicol.
Building on a long journey
For nearly two decades, Educo and DepEd Region V have worked hand in hand mainly on education. For the succeeding years, Educo Philippines also integrated its current programming on child protection, youth empowerment, humanitarian response, and sponsorship. Reflecting on this history, Marlon Villanueva, Educo Philippines’ Country Director explained that the challenge has always been translating big frameworks into day-to-day realities in schools. “As we go down to the schools, how do we break these processes down and make them a reality for teachers and parents? How do we translate them operationally?”
Villanueva also underscored the long-term impact of Educo’s work, noting that some of their sponsored children have since become teachers, government officials, and even community leaders. “During the time of COVID, and even when schools were destroyed by fire, Educo was there. And in the next five years, it will remain the same. We hope that our complementarity with DepEd will grow and deepen even more in the coming years.”
Priorities for the next five years
Looking forward, Educo Philippines presented its Country Programmatic Framework for 2026–2030, which outlines its vision for continued partnership with DepEd. At the heart of the plan is strengthening institutionalization, systems, and mechanisms that ensure programs are sustainable and, potentially, scalable to schools and divisions even beyond Educo’s direct coverage.
The partnership will also continue to address urgent needs in education, such as improving basic and functional literacy through remediation programs, and tackling concerns like bullying and mental health in schools. Educo Philippines and DepEd also explored the possibility of aligning the curriculum with the organization’s knowledge products, including its toolkits on Child-Led Project Management, Child Protection, and Child Rights and Wellbeing.
In addition, the collaboration will remain complementary to existing regional programs of DepEd, such as the ARAL Program and Project 6Bs, ensuring that Educo’s initiatives reinforce and expand what the government is already implementing.
A partnership rooted in shared purpose
For DepEd Bicol’s Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad, the renewal of partnership with Educo is more than institutional; it is a shared responsibility. “We are very grateful that you are here as partners and allies. Because we only have one goal, which is to leave behind a better generation. The generation we want to see is one that is assured and ensured of having a good life and safety.”
He acknowledged that the challenges in education are too vast for DepEd to face alone. “I admit personally that DepEd alone cannot do these things. We cannot do it by ourselves. It truly takes a whole community to educate a child. And we are in this together.”
Sadsad also emphasized the value of journeying together with Educo in advancing shared goals: “We are willing to be part of your journey, to achieve what we are aiming for. My colleagues and I are with you. Thank you, Educo. We hope that you will always be there, because everything we are doing is dedicated to the school children.”
Looking ahead
The signing ceremony was both a celebration of past achievements and a commitment to future possibilities. As Educo Philippines and DepEd Bicol move forward, both institutions remain united in their mission to ensure that every child in Bicol not only goes to school but learns in environments where they are safe, protected, and empowered to reach their full potential.
