NEWS RELEASE August 10, 2026-𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫-𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦

BUTUAN CITY, July 28, 2026 — 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞—𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫.

The Department of Education (DepEd) Caraga held its Regional Research Stakeholders' Forum, bringing together researchers, DepEd officials, and representatives from key government agencies to explore how research can translate into better policies, stronger programs, and meaningful action for learners.

𝐀 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚

A major highlight of the forum was its first-ever inter-agency panel, bringing together representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Commission on Population and Development (CPD), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Local Government Unit of Butuan City, Philippine National Police (PNP), and Department of Health (DOH).

Their participation brought perspectives from social protection, population, public information, local governance, peace and order, and health—reinforcing the idea that many education challenges require solutions that extend beyond the classroom.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬

The forum featured research addressing some of the most pressing concerns affecting learners, schools, and communities across Caraga.

Among the studies presented were:

“𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝟒𝐏𝐬”

Jeryl Ann J. Robas, Teacher VI, Agusan del Norte

“𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬”

Generuth M. Bagaforo, Senior Education Program Specialist, Butuan City

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬’ 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬”

Mona Lisa Lopez De La Cruz, Teacher V, Agusan del Norte

“𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝟕 𝟒𝐏𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐫𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥”

Marilyn Maturan, Master Teacher II, Siargao

“𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲”

Kirk Vincent Edward D. Abugho, Division Nurse II, Butuan City

“𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓 (𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬) 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥, 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧”

Mary Grace C. Mante and Yolinda G. Ocon, Teacher I, Surigao City

“𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐀 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬’ 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲”

Caroline Guerta-Dultra and Winston Eben, EPS and EPS II, Regional Office

“𝐋𝐚𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦: 𝐀𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧”

Marieto Cleben V. Lozada, Senior Education Program Specialist, Surigao del Sur

Together, the studies reflected the diverse realities facing learners—from poverty and parental involvement to bullying, teenage pregnancy, retention, school participation, and completion.

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Anchored on “Research → Evidence → Action,” the forum emphasized that research should not end with a presentation or a report.

It should start a conversation.

Through the inter-agency panel, researchers were able to receive perspectives from stakeholders who work directly with many of the social issues reflected in the studies. The discussions provided opportunities to validate findings, identify policy implications, and generate practical recommendations for program and policy enhancement.

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Assistant Regional Director Pedro Escobarte opened the activity, setting the tone for collaboration and meaningful exchange among stakeholders.

Regional Director Allan Farnazo delivered an inspirational message, highlighting the value of research in making informed decisions and creating meaningful improvements in education and public service.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡

Led by PPRD Chief Violeta Nunez, the forum strengthened DepEd Caraga's commitment to evidence-informed governance and research utilization.

More than a venue for presenting studies, the forum brought together researchers, education leaders, and partner agencies to connect evidence with expertise and research with real-world action.

And with stronger partnerships across agencies, research can become a catalyst for better policies, responsive programs, and better outcomes for every learner in Caraga.

By Jez Marie R. Macuno

PDO II, Public Affairs Unit

For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph

#DepEdCaraga #DepEdPhilippines #ResearchForum #StakeholdersForum #research

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