NEWS RELEASE|| September 4, 2026-𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀, 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻

NASIPIT, AGUSAN DEL NORTE — 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱) 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮, 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗚. 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘇𝗼, 𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗢 𝗜𝗜𝗜, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿-𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗽𝗶𝘁 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝘆𝗺𝗻𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺, 𝗔𝗴𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲.

The activity, led by Education Support Services Division (ESSD) Chief Edmund D. Mendoza, PhD, through Regional Sports Officer Dr. Jumer C. Carlon, brought together various programs under the Bureau of Learner Support Services (BLSS), together with Central Office personnel, partners, and stakeholders to promote a holistic approach to learner participation in sports.

Beyond physical development, the caravan emphasized the importance of learner safety, protection, mental health, emotional well-being, and the promotion of learner rights in sports and other co-curricular activities.

𝗔 𝗪𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲-𝗼𝗳-𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀

Among the programs that actively supported the caravan were the Learner Rights and Protection Office (LRPO), Youth Formation Division (YFD), and Learner Wellness Office (LWO). Their participation demonstrated the Department’s whole-of-learner approach in creating a sports environment where every learner feels safe, heard, respected, and supported.

As part of the learner protection and wellness initiatives, the participating BLSS programs provided IEC/Advocacy materials containing reminders and messages on learner rights, safety, well-being, positive behavior, and available support mechanisms.

A space was also provided where learners could freely express their thoughts, experiences, concerns, and aspirations through written messages and posts on the Freedom Wall. This initiative encouraged learners to communicate in a safe and non-threatening manner while reinforcing the message that their voices matter and that their concerns deserve to be heard.

Recognizing that some concerns may require privacy and individualized attention, a private counseling space was also made available for learners who needed an opportunity to talk with a trusted and appropriate support person. The initiative promoted early help-seeking and provided learners with a safe avenue to express personal concerns, emotional experiences, or other issues that may affect their participation and well-being.

The caravan also created moments of care and encouragement for participating learners. Through the support of partners, learners received simple treats such as biscuits, candies, and sports drinks, providing a small but meaningful gesture of comfort and happiness during the activity.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀

In the afternoon, Regional Learner Rights and Protection Focal Person Mr. Giro Paolo Misael V. Almendralejo facilitated a brief Orientation on Safe Sports, emphasizing the shared responsibility of learners, coaches, trainers, teachers, officials, parents, and other stakeholders in maintaining a safe and respectful sporting environment.

The orientation underscored that sports should be a venue where learners can develop their skills, confidence, discipline, teamwork, and leadership without experiencing violence, bullying, discrimination, harassment, intimidation, exploitation, or any form of abuse.

The discussion also reinforced the importance of respecting learner rights, maintaining appropriate adult-learner boundaries, providing proper supervision, responding promptly to concerns, and ensuring that reporting and referral mechanisms are accessible to learners.

𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿

The active participation of the LRPO, YFD, LWO, and other BLSS programs reflects DepEd Caraga’s commitment to ensuring that learner development is addressed holistically. While sports promote physical fitness, discipline, teamwork, and leadership, the Department recognizes that these outcomes can only be achieved effectively when learners are provided with an environment that safeguards their physical, emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

Through initiatives such as the LRP Desk, counseling and wellness spaces, learner-friendly reporting mechanisms, IEC campaigns, safe sports orientations, and interactive activities, DepEd Caraga continues to strengthen protective measures that place the learner at the center of every program and activity.

By: Leah Ellen V. Yaoyao

Technical Assistant II – LRPO, ESSD

𝗘𝗡𝗗

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 #SafeSports #LearnerProtection #LearnerWellness #WholeOfLearnerApproach #SchoolSportsClubCaravan #SafeSchools #LearnerRights #MentalHealthAndWellBeing #SportsForDevelopment #ChildProtection #EducationSupportServices #BLSS #ParaSaBataParaSaBayan

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