Dangpanan Mindanao, Inc.

20/07/2026

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14/07/2026

PRESS RELEASE NO. 7

STFL PROJECT Update
Feedback from Students, Teachers and Parents/Guardians
July 14, 2026

As academic year 2026-2027 begins, we prepare for the resumption of the STFL Tutorial Sessions ("STS"). We do so, bearing in mind the feedbacks provided by the parents/guardians, teachers and students on the STS conducted during the piloting phases (January through March, 2026), which are summarized below.

Students' Feedback
• One founding learning new things enjoyable.
• One preferred joining the STS to staying at home.
• All enjoyed being able to read better and to understand what was read.
• Despite the tight schedule of one who is working on weekends, that student is determined to continue attending the STS.

Parents/Guardians' Feedback
• One student is reading more during free time.
• One student has become distracted with another extra-curricular activity.

SLCDI Teachers' Feedback
• There has been a noticeable increase in self-confidence among the participating students.
• The participating students are interacting more with other students. One has even started engaging in storytelling sessions with friends.
• There has been a marked improvement in their participation in school activities.
• Excitement in attending the STS has improved a student's learning pace.
• The use of pictures/images helped a lot in the participating students' comprehension of unfamiliar words and building vocabulary.
• Many of the students still suffer from low retention, mostly due to lack of practice in using the English language outside the classroom and beyond the STS.
• There remains a need to enhance the participating students' vocabulary.

We take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the faculty members of SLCDI who joined the piloting phase as volunteer tutors and who were quite instrumental in developing creative teaching techniques. Unfortunately, they are no longer available for STS. Still, we are fortunate to be welcoming seven (7) new volunteer tutors composed of a retired school director and teacher; two (2) lawyers engaged in private practice; two (2) students enrolled in Medicine, one of whom has tutoring experience while the other is a licensed Medical Technologist; a Grade 12 student and a Grade 10 student, both with demonstrated proficiency in the use of the English language.

On July 18, 2026, there will be a student orientation. To start off the STS, a member of DMI will hold a cooking demonstration. This activity will be utilized as a teaching tool in that participating students will be asked to identify nouns, verbs and adjectives as well as distinguish various shapes and colors.

We are now working towards this vision/mission:

"Taking a step towards functional literacy requires a willingness to learn, to study, to improve oneself and not to be content with current levels of skills and abilities. The student must want education and to achieve social transformation for himself/herself. Joining the tutorial sessions must be the students' choice, in exercise of their God-given right of free will."

14/07/2026

STFL PROJECT Update
July 14, 2026

As academic year 2026-2027 begins, we prepare for the resumption of the STFL Tutorial Sessions ("STS"). We do so, bearing in mind the feedbacks provided by the parents/guardians, teachers and students on the STS conducted during the piloting phases (January through March, 2026), which are summarized below.

Students' Feedback
• One founding learning new things enjoyable.
• One preferred joining the STS to staying at home.
• All enjoyed being able to read better and to understand what was read.
• Despite the tight schedule of one who is working on weekends, that student is determined to continue attending the STS.

Parents/Guardians' Feedback
• One student is reading more during free time.
• One student has become distracted with another extra-curricular activity.

SLCDI Teachers' Feedback
• There has been a noticeable increase in self-confidence among the participating students.
• The participating students are interacting more with other students. One has even started engaging in storytelling sessions with friends.
• There has been a marked improvement in their participation in school activities.
• Excitement in attending the STS has improved a student's learning pace.
• The use of pictures/images helped a lot in the participating students' comprehension of unfamiliar words and building vocabulary.
• Many of the students still suffer from low retention, mostly due to lack of practice in using the English language outside the classroom and beyond the STS.
• There remains a need to enhance the participating students' vocabulary.

We take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the faculty members of SLCDI who joined the piloting phase as volunteer tutors and who were quite instrumental in developing creative teaching techniques. Unfortunately, they are no longer available for STS. Still, we are fortunate to be welcoming seven (7) new volunteer tutors composed of a retired school director and teacher; two (2) lawyers engaged in private practice; two (2) students enrolled in Medicine, one of whom has tutoring experience while the other is a licensed Medical Technologist; a Grade 12 student and a Grade 10 student, both with demonstrated proficiency in the use of the English language.

On July 18, 2026, there will be a student orientation. To start off the STS, a member of DMI will hold a cooking demonstration. This activity will be utilized as a teaching tool in that participating students will be asked to identify nouns, verbs and adjectives as well as distinguish various shapes and colors.

We are now working towards this vision/mission:

"Taking a step towards functional literacy requires a willingness to learn, to study, to improve oneself and not to be content with current levels of skills and abilities. The student must want education and to achieve social transformation for himself/herself. Joining the tutorial sessions must be the students' choice, in exercise of their God-given right of free will."

Send a message to learn more

20/05/2026

STFL PROJECT Update
Conclusion of the Piloting Phase
May 19, 2026

Dangpanan Mindanao, Inc. (DMI), in partnership with San Lorenzo College of Davao, Inc. (SLCDI), recently concluded the piloting phase of the STFL Project, with a total of six (6) tutorial sessions involving eleven (11) students. Ten (10) volunteer tutors rotated session assignments, which sessions were all held on Saturday mornings. To support the progress of the tutorial sessions, valuable guidance was provided by Dr. Heidi K. Gloria, Ph.D. in History and Dr. Ivy Rose Salon, Ed.D. in Special Education. Fr. Jerick Asdang, School Director of SLCDI, was our fountain of spiritual guidance and inspiration.

Most of the participating students were enrolled in high school. All of them were grouped into clusters based on the results of their Diagnostic Test. Those with similar assessed levels were assigned to the same cluster. However, it was later discovered that some students belonging to the same cluster did not have the same pace of learning. Accordingly, adjustments were made, such that those experiencing greater difficulty were provided with individual tutors.

In the course of the piloting phase, the tutors developed lesson plans involving a 15-minute lecture and a variation of exercises for the remainder of the 2-hour session. They also utilized an array of teaching techniques, including but not limited to the following:

a) Use of an alphabet guide to improve spelling
b) Use of story books to build vocabulary
c) Use of dictionaries to improve spelling and build vocabulary
d) Understanding the intent behind Catholic prayers to develop
comprehension
e) Use of familiar scenes to identify parts of speech
f) Use of sentence stems to improve sentence construction
g) Use of sentence frames/structures to improve sentence construction

Official Launching for AY 2026-2027

In preparation for the official launching of the STFL Project, in time with the opening of schoolyear 2026-2027, DMI has opened its recruitment for new volunteer tutors. We are searching for retired teachers, college graduates and college students who are able and willing to share their personal knowledge and strategies to achieve standard competence in English reading and comprehension. Previous teaching experience is not a requirement.

We are expecting the students who participated in the piloting phase to resume their tutorial sessions in July 2026. New students can join the tutorial program in the second semester since they shall first complete the diagnostic test to be administered by SLCDI. This shall then be followed by a determination of their assessed levels.

To mark the official launching of the STFL Project, we will have a cooking activity/ demonstration that will give the continuing students an opportunity to reconnect with fellow students and get to know the new volunteer tutors. The activity will also serve as a teaching tool for identifying nouns, verbs and adjectives as well as distinguishing shapes and colors. Each student will then be requested to write an essay about the activity.

For those who wish to volunteer as tutors for the first semester of academic year 2026-2027 or who may have questions, you may reach us by e-mail at or through mobile no. 0995-4927156. You may also leave a private message at our page.

We look forward to embracing new volunteer tutors.

Charmian K. Gloria
DMI President

13/02/2026

27/01/2026

STFL PROJECT Update
January 27, 2026

The piloting of the STFL Project kicked off with the Student and Parent Orientation at the grounds of San Lorenzo College of Davao, Inc. Learning kits bearing English-Cebuano dictionaries, notebooks and ballpens were distributed to the participating students. Story books in English were also made available for borrowing.

Participating students were invited to introduce themselves using a given format. Their self-introductions gave the volunteer tutors a working knowledge of the difficulties they are facing in the use of the English language.

At this point, we take this opportunity to extend our sincerest gratitude to our donors, namely:

• Mr. Emmanuel Paronda
• Mr. John Baricuatro and the JohnGold Group
• Dr. Ivy Rose Fabros-Salon, Ph.D.
• Dr. Arsenio Emmanuel de Jesus and Mrs. Cynthia G. de Jesus
• Ms. Lilibeth Desabilla-Malabanan
• Mr. Mannu Escuadro
• Ms. Helen Perpetua J. Onggo
• Mr. Micoh Puentespina
• Mr. Dennis Villegas

Our heartfelt thanks likewise go to Fr. Jerick Asdang and the faculty members of San Lorenzo College of Davao, Inc. who have volunteered a part of their free time to become tutors to the students in need.

We remain open to those who wish to volunteer as tutors for the piloting sessions as well as the subsequent sessions after the official launching. We are also open to volunteers for the support staff. Those interested may reach us by e-mail or through mobile no. 0995-4927156. They may also leave a private message at our page or visit us at the Mezzanine Floor of A. De Jesus Building (De Jesus Dental Office), anytime from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Formal tutoring for the piloting phase will begin on January 31, 2025, and will continue every Saturday thereafter until the end of March 2026. The STFL Project will be officially launched in June 2026.

Note: Photos of the participating students will not be posted to protect their privacy.

Charmian K. Gloria
DMI President