First of Kuya Daniel Razon’s public service on-wheels innovations, Dunong-Gulong also became the pioneering state-of-the-art mobile education arm in the Philippines’ alternative learning system (ALS). The P13-million mobile school project was Kuya Daniel’s gift to the out-of-school Filipinos during his 27th year of public service in 2010.
On Philippine Education: Being Part of a Solution
The idea of an innovative mobile classroom came when Education Secretary Armin Luistro had guested in one episode of Get It Straight with Daniel Razon. Sec. Luistro laid down the challenges and issues in Philippine education especially those facing out-of-school Filipinos.
After only a 30-minute discussion, Kuya Daniel had conceived a solution that surprised Sec. Luistro. A move that put the Education Secretary in awe even more was the launch of the two new mobile school buses that Kuya Daniel had promised he and UNTV will provide to support the government’s education program for the remotest areas of Philippine provinces.
On November 27, 2010, Kuya Daniel, in behalf of UNTV, the Members Church of God International through Bro. Eli Soriano, and the Department of Education through Secretary Luistro signed the memorandum of agreement that officially commenced the project and a promising partnership.
For its part, DepEd provides learning facilitators and curriculum-guided modules. UNTV and MCGI that sponsored the two brand new buses shoulders all expenses on learning facilities and bus maintenance.
The Mobile Classroom
Modern technology made it possible for Kuya Daniel to introduce a classroom-on-wheels that will house and facilitate an effective learning of young and adult learners, indigenous people and those with physical disabilities.
Costing P6.5 million, the mobile school bus is built with audio-video amenities (plasma TV, projector, instructional CDs), a library, tables and chairs, a toilet, and a sleeping quarter for the teachers. In cases of non-availability of power supply, the wheeled classroom is readied with generator and solar panels from the Department of Energy.
A Gateway to Formal Education
Conceptualized to provide literacy-based education, Dunong-Gulong gives learners similar benefit as the acceleration program by the Education Department. Completion of the alternative learning program will allow learners to eventually get formal education.
