cat

The Call

The following excerpt was taken from the message delivered by
Dr. Jose Luis Martin C. Gascon, DepEd Undersecretary during the First STET-VIP NSTP
Annual National Convention held at the DECS ECOTECH Center, Lahug, Cebu City on May 15-
17, 2003. It was a clarion call for STET-VIP to play a major role in the DepEd’s CAT for fourth year
High School students.

“

First of all, we didn’t have any second thoughts about supporting

this initiative in providing the facilities for this very important event.

The truth is DepEd has a vested interest in the success of what you

are doing since DepEd also focuses on basic education. DepEd

Secretary De Jesus extends his greetings and congratulations to all

you although he cannot be with you today. We look forward

the

esults of your discussion so we can identify points where we can

cooperate.

What I would like to share with you today is regarding the Revised

Rules and Regulations of Section 7 of the National Service Program

(NSP) which is now focused on two areas, the Citizens’ Army Training

and the Citizenship Advancement Training for secondary education.

As we speak, representatives from all regions in the country are

participating in a national training for Citizenship Advancement

Training. Training modules for this program focus on civic and

military orientation, appreciation and knowledge of the community,

environmental concerns like sanitation, beautification and management,

political participation, social concerns such as drugs, and pornography

and child abuse, public safety, and disaster preparedness. These are

some of the areas that we have started to focus on in this program.

That is why what STET-VIP NSTP is doing could be something that

we can build upon with fourth year high school CAT students."

The Response: STET-VIP CAT/NSP

The Department of Education (DepEd) Order Number 35 Series of 2003 on the Citizenship
Advancement Training (CAT) is a restructuring of the Citizens Army Training at the Secondary
level. The CAT Program is a requirement for graduation for all fourth year high school students in
both public and private secondary schools.

There are two components of CAT, namely, Military Orientation and Community Service.

The implementing Guidelines for CAT defines its two components:

Military Orientation deals with the introduction and exposure of the      learner to the basic
knowledge, unfamiliar situations and experiences as well as activities related to military and
citizenship training

Community Service refers to any activity that helps achieve the general welfare and the
betterment of life of the members of the community, or enhancement of its facilities especially
those devoted to improving health, education, safety, recreation and morale of the citizenry.

On the other hand, the STET-VIP CWS under the Expanded ROTC defines:

Civic Welfare Service as “another second year curriculum option which consists of projects
designed to encourage the youth to contribute in the improvement of the general welfare and the
quality of life for the local community and its various institutional components, more particularly, in
terms of health, education, safety, livelihood, and the morale of the citizenry. It includes lectures
on the concepts of loyalty, patriotism, and nation-building, civic consciousness and other values”
(Expanded ROTC Program, 1994).

Thus, given the congruence between the STET-VIP Civic Welfare Service (CWS) Program of
Instruction under the Expanded ROTC Program from SY 1996-1997 up to SY 2001-2002 and that
of the CAT, the STET-VIP CAT advocacy is imperative. STET-VIP CAT aims to effectively carry
out DepEd Order No. 35 Series of 2003 thus, its objectives are:

a) to support and cooperate with DepEd for the effective
implementation of the CAT/NSP

b) to prepare 4th year High School students to the mandatory
National Service Training Program (NSTP) in College thus, making
STET-VIP NSTP a sustaining mechanism for the CAT; and,

c) to enable 4th year High School students who may not
continue their tertiary education develop the good habits
of living necessary for shaping socially responsible
individuals working for the common good.

As an immediate response to the clarion call, Mr. Rodrigo C. Murillo, an alumnus of the STET-
VIP NSTP Qualifying Course, successfully piloted the STET-VIP CAT for the 4th Year High School
students of Colegio de San Juan de Letran Manila in SY 2003-2004. The following School Year
Mr. Jaylord E. Balitar of the Adventist University of the Philippines institutionalized STET-
VIP CAT at the AUP Academy.,

During the 26th STET-VIP NSTP Qualifying Course on October 25-27, 2004 at St. Mary's
University (SMU) at Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya, Mr. Claro F. Cauan who has been in charge of
CAT in High School was among those who completed the Qualifying Course thus, making STET-
VIP CAT an integral program of SMU.

The afore-mentioned significant developments marked the nationwide advocacy of STET-VIP CAT
to which the alumni, patrons, benefactors, and sponsors of the STET-VIP dedicate themselves to.

The Reaffirmation of STET-VIP and DepEd Partnership in CAT

Given STET-VIP's response to DepEd's proclamation to identify points for cooperation, and as a
follow through of the initial discussion on the STET-VIP CAT with DepEd Undersecretary Dr. Jose
Luis Martin C. Gascon during the First STET-VIP NSTP Convention, Dr. Corazon L. Echano,
Chief, Curriculum Development Division, DepEd was invited to be among the speakers of the
Second STET-VIP NSTP Annual Convention held at Teachers' Camp, Baguio City on May 2-5,
2004. In her presentation, Dr. Echano gave a comprehensive explanation on DepEd's CAT as she
responded to various questions from the delegates. She reaffirmed the role of STET-VIP in
providing support to CAT particularly in the training of teachers as well as in carrying out
community service. As a concluding message " Ka Azon" (as Dr. Echano prefers to be
addressed) read the following poem:

Gintong Aral"

ni Ka Azon

Mayroong mga taong wala ng ginawa

kundi ang mamintas ng sa ibang likha

gayong ang dungis ng kanilang mukha,

makapal pa sa uling ng gawang masama

wala ng ginawa kundi ang mamintas sumira

ng puri ang lagi nilang hangad

naisip mo bang ikaw ay magpatatag

makakating dila ang sisira

ang dakila at marangal na di pa nagagawa

ay ibig ng mapatay