SMU - Community Engagement and Indigenous Peoples Studies Center

25/04/2026

Online Volunteerism Forum

With the Adoption of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 78/127, 2026 is proclaimed as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development. The Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency invites the CICM-PSN Schools' network to organize an online Volunteerism Framework. The CICM-PSN Schools' Network Extension Cluster affirmatively responded to the request by organizing the Volunteerism in Practice: Online Community Engagement Summit. This online summit brings CICM Institutions together to share initiatives, address challenges, and strengthen volunteerism through collaboration.

The Online Community Engagement Summit will be held online with Saint Louis University, Baguio City, as the lead implementing CICM School.

Kindly scan the QR Code to participate. 👇👇👇

25/04/2026

WEBINAR FOR THE PHILIPPINE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES COURSE

The Social Sciences and Philosophy Department-School of Teacher Education and Humanities will organize a hybrid activity that will provide a platform for students to engage with contemporary indigenous issues, policy realities and lived experiences of Indigenous communities. With the theme, Voices of Indigenous Cultural Communities: Advancing Rights, Identity, and Self-Determination in the Contemporary Philippines, students will be able to engage in a dialogue with experts to strengthen social justice awareness.

The hybrid activity will be held at AVR-1 and via Zoom/FB Live, April 30, 2026, 1:00-3:00 PM.

Scan the QR code to register. 👇👇👇

21/04/2026

𝗦𝗠𝗨 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝘂𝗻-𝗼𝗵-𝗼𝗵𝗵𝗮𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗲

The community of Cabuluan, Villaverde, recently became a vibrant hub of culture and cooperation as it celebrated the 8th Pun-oh-ohhaan Festival. Guided by the theme “Sama-samang Saya: Araw ng Pagkakaisa at Pasasalamat,” the event served as a powerful reminder of the strength found in indigenous heritage and communal solidarity. The festivities commenced with a Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Rev. Fr. Evedi Awidan, which set a spiritual and grateful tone for the busy day ahead.

See full story: https://smu.edu.ph/smu-joins-8th-pun-oh-ohhaan-festival-in-villaverde/

Written by: Laurice Kaye P. Laguinday, Indigenous Peoples Studies Coordinator

31/03/2026

SUM Recognizes Top Performing SY 2025-2026 Students from Partner Schools

Marian Students United in Mathematics (SUM) gifted cash and gold medal to top performing learners from partner schools. These were given on March 28 at Villa Par Pale ES and March 30 at Pawak ES and Ipil-Cuneg ES. The same set of rewards was also given to the top performing student of Baguingey ES during the clustered graduation of Solano 2 District at Uddiawan, Solano, Nueva Vizcaya on March 31, 2026.

The rewards were donated by faculty, students and alumni of SUM, and from an alumnus of the SMU Artists' Circle. The SUM adviser, Mrs Donna Bee R. Tominez, mentioned that the organization will sustain this project to recognize students' efforts and to inspire students to value education more.

28/03/2026

Celebrating Creativity and Femininity: Pampering Women with Arts and Wellness

As SMU marks its monthlong celebration for Women, different units and student organizations collaborated to pamper women with arts and wellness. The Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Services for Women, Human Resource Development Office, and the Non-Academic Personnel, conducted "Alagang Reyna: Isang Araw ng Pag-aalaga at Pagpapahalaga sa Kababaihan" for the Women residents of Sitio Kakilingan, Buenavista, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya on March 28, 2026. This activity aims to recognize their hard work, sacrifices, and contributions to their family and society by providing them with a day of relaxation and wellness.

Meanwhile, the Museo de Maria Staff, Marian Visual Arts Society members, and four students enrolled in the Civic Welfare Training Service brought joy to the women of Kakilingan by painting them portraits, which they then presented as gifts. A student from the University of the Philippines Diliman also participated in these activities as part of his service learning initiative.

This activity is in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

28/03/2026

A Worthy Encounter: A Day of Community Immersion Before Holy Week

A few days before Holy Week, students and faculty from the School of Graduate Studies, the School of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, and the School of Accountancy and Business participated in a community immersion in Purok Gonggongob, Cabuluan, Villaverde on March 28, 2026.

The School of Graduate Studies Master in Developmental Arts and Design students, as part of their Project REPAIR, delivered some of the paver stones for the Villa Par Pale Elementary School that were produced by the Building Technology students of the School of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology. Meanwhile, the student members of Students United in Mathematics presented a cash gift and a gold medal to Ms. Miracle Calimlim, the VPPES 2025-2026 class valedictorian. The cash gift was donated by the faculty and alumni of SUM.

The School of Accountancy and Business also turned over an oven that can be utilized by the community for their bread and pastry livelihood. Last October 2025, the selected Gongggongob residents underwent a community-based training on bread and pastry, a training organized by ETVAO, SAB, TESDA, and DSWD. The residents were shown how to use the oven.

28/03/2026

𝗦𝗠𝗨 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆; 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗥𝗖, 𝗗𝗶𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗬𝗨𝗦 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿
Highlighting the ecological significance of the Cagayan Valley watershed system through combining education, cultural exchange, and direct community engagement while reinforcing the link between environmental conservation, women’s empowerment, and local livelihoods, Saint Mary’s University (SMU) partners with Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) along with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bayombong for “AGAYUS: A Watershed Fair Celebrating Nueva Vizcaya’s Bounties,” held at Fr. Cornelius Tonus Gymnasium, March 21.
See full story: https://smu.edu.ph/smu-advances-environmental-advocacy.../
Written by: Marielle Camonayan, CEIPSC Staff

𝗦𝗠𝗨 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆; 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗥𝗖, 𝗗𝗶𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗬𝗨𝗦 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿

Highlighting the ecological significance of the Cagayan Valley watershed system through combining education, cultural exchange, and direct community engagement while reinforcing the link between environmental conservation, women’s empowerment, and local livelihoods, Saint Mary’s University (SMU) partners with Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) along with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bayombong for “AGAYUS: A Watershed Fair Celebrating Nueva Vizcaya’s Bounties,” held at Fr. Cornelius Tonus Gymnasium, March 21.

See full story: https://smu.edu.ph/smu-advances-environmental-advocacy-partners-with-lrc-diocese-of-bayombong-for-agayus-watershed-fair/

Written by: Marielle Camonayan, CEIPSC Staff

17/03/2026

𝗦𝗠𝗨 𝗖𝗘𝗜𝗣𝗦𝗖 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗔𝗨 𝗖𝗞𝗦

With the aim of strengthening the operations and programs of the Museo de Maria and Pansin-uuh’mu-an of the Community Engagement and Indigenous Peoples Studies Center, a learning visit was held at the Center for Kapampangan Studies (CKS) of Holy Angel University, Pampanga, on March 12, 2026.

See full story: https://smu.edu.ph/smu-ceipsc-conducts-a-learning-visit-to-the-hau-cks/

Written by: Christopher Allen S. Marquez, CEIPSC Director

17/03/2026

𝗔𝗴𝗮𝘆𝘂𝘀: 𝗔 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿 - 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝘂𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗩𝗶𝘇𝗰𝗮𝘆𝗮'𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆

March brings together two powerful advocacies: Women's Month and International Day of Forests. We are channeling that mobilizing energy into AGAYUS: A watershed Fair celebrating Nueva Vizcaya's Bounties. Together, we will celebrate the protection of vital water systems as a profound act of collective care for the 234,824-hectare Magat Watershed and the 88,846-hectare Casecnan Watershed. Recognizing women as the primary nurturers and frontline defenders of the earth the SMU gymnasium will be bustling with the festive energy of a contemporary Tabu or harvest market.

📅 March 21, 2026 (Saturday)
📍 Tonus Gymnasium (Saint Mary's University)
⏰ 9:30AM - 5:00PM

's Month

16/03/2026

SoGS | 𝑪𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉𝒔: 𝑨 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆-𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒑 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑺𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝑯𝑺 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔

To strengthen Senior High School (SHS) students' personal strengths, enhance self-efficacy in managing pressure, and foster actionable coping strategies, students of the School of Graduate Studies conducted a supervised resilience-based group counseling session at Diadi National High School, March 6.

The session began with the establishment of group norms followed by a short mindfulness activity intended to create a supportive environment for discussion. Facilitators then introduced concepts related to resilience, strengths recognition, and self-efficacy, highlighting how personal and social resources can assist students in addressing challenges related to peer influence.

The outreach program also served as a supervised practicum experience for graduate students from the Master of Arts in Education major in Guidance and Counseling who are enrolled in the course Group Dynamics. Under the supervision of a licensed counselor, the graduate students facilitated group activities and applied theoretical concepts in an actual counseling setting.

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13/03/2026

13/03/2026

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐇 | 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙅𝙀𝘾𝙏 𝘽𝙐𝙆𝙇𝘼𝙏

To promote literacy by providing access to diverse reading materials and to support holistic development through multi-grade teaching activities that encourage inclusivity, cooperation and adaptability among learners, Saint Mary's University - School of Teacher Education and Humanities conducted Project Buklat, a book and school supply donation intiative last March 4.

Led by the Professional Education Department through STEH's student organizations ECBS and SUM along with their advisers, BEED 137 Class, the event catered 42 learners of Nantawakan Elementary School in Kasibu Nueva Vizcaya, providing access to books that aims to improve their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and overall literacy.

More so, the learners received proper nourishment through a feeding program which was simultaneously conducted.
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