LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET, March 24, 2022 – Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, along with other Central and Regional officials of the Department of Education (DepEd), led the groundbreaking ceremony of the National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) – Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) extension building during the first day of her field visit in Benguet.

“Cordillera is continuing the tradition of being a center for inspiration, research, and looking into new things. We are very happy that the region is proactive in assisting our teachers with their professional development,” Secretary Briones said.

“All of these will be taking place in this facility, and I am very grateful to our Cordillera people. I am very grateful to the support of the local governments and especially the efforts of our regional directors,” she added.

The establishment of the three-story building amounting to Php 32-million is part of the partnership of NEAP-CAR and NEAP-Baguio in improving buildings and facilities in the province to help the teachers and education leaders in their upskilling activities.

The NEAP Cordillera facilities shall also open its doors to SHS learners as a safe and competent avenue to undergo their work immersion as part of implementing the Department’s K-to-12 program.

Aside from developing NEAP-handled facilities, NEAP-Baguio and NEAP-CAR shall collectively collaborate towards synergistic sharing of facility and resources towards the successful delivery of quality primary education in the new normal.

“Ito pong cooperation that we have with DepEd CAR and NEAP is part of a major reform that was directed by the Secretary as soon as she came into office,” Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Atty. Nepomuceno Malaluan said.

“We ask RD [Regional Director] Estela [Cariño] to institutionalize our cooperation between NEAP-Baguio Teachers Camp and NEAP-CAR to be able to share our facilities mutually, but it must be the exclusive benefit of the professional development of our teachers and school leaders,” he added.

DepEd Assistant Secretary for Youth Affairs and Special Concerns Juan Valeriano Respicio IV, Head Executive Assistant and BHROD Director III Nina Bianca Sanglay, DepEd CAR Director Cariño, and Assistant Regional Director Florante Vergara also attended the said program.

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