MMC 24 scholars concluded the very first PMDP Solo Sensing Journey on March 22, 2021. At the activity integration, the scholars shared their experiences and reflections on the individuals or groups they visited. The activity which was held through Google Meet was led by the module co-faculty, Mr. Themistocles D. Padla.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the usual On-site Sensing Journey was transformed into a Solo Sensing Journey. The community, family, or individuals who were the learning partners in this module were the scholar’s personal choice. They were encouraged to apply utmost discernment in determining where or whom to go for their Solo Sensing Journey in their area considering IATF health protocols. As instructed, the learning partners should be able to give them the data that will be the foundation for introspection and soul-searching as the activity is aimed at consciously sharpening sensitivity to the scholars’ customers.
In the integration, the scholars shared their realizations and insights. One of many reflections shared was by Mr. Marco Lorenzo R. Camarillo of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) – Central Visayas Campus who looked into the plight of fish vendors. He discovered some problems that these fish vendors face, one being excessive loans from Indian nationals, also known as “5-6” which results in very small take-home income. Moving forward, Mr. Camarillo proposed the reorganization of their cooperative with the supervision of knowledgeable people to ensure sustainability. As an educator from PSHS, Mr. Camarillo wants to encourage other subjects in schools to adopt a Sensing Journey project and prioritize property alleviation.
Mr. Almer T. Davis of the Department of Education Region XI chose a low-income family in Davao Occidental as his learning partner. The father of the family is a fisherman and a freelance carpenter and due to the pandemic, his family lost its stable income. As a result, they have barely enough to go through the day. Mr. Davis suggested that his agency must intensify access to basic education, have a comprehensive implementation of inclusion programs and other learner support programs as those who will pursue and finish schooling across levels have the opportunity to succeed.
Mr. Arnel R. Patatag of the Commission on Audit Region VII also shared his Solo Sensing Journey with fisherfolks and a delivery boy in Bohol. The 11-year-old boy whom he met was exploited by his family into child labor due to poverty which affected his studies even before the pandemic. This made Mr. Patatag propose possible interventions that can help their community. He suggested having a cooperative, changing their mental models, and upgrade employment opportunities among others.
The faculty, Mr. Themistocles D. Padla said that based on the inputs from the batch, the scholars gained a new perspective about the plight of the poor and realized that they can do something to help them. Class director Ms. Mary Geraldine Naraja on the other hand said that the scholars’ Sensing Journeys were very challenging due to COVID-19 thereby hindering some of them in getting more in-depth information. However, she said that the Sensing Journey of this batch was good overall and an event that they will remember for the rest of their lives.
The DSD-Sensing Journey module kicked off with preparatory sessions to get the class ready for the journey. Each learning team also had a Facebook group chat with 2 focal persons from PMDP which served as a platform for sharing their daily experiences and reflections. The course closed with a debriefing session where the class looked back at what they went through and saw where the past two weeks’ experience fits in – in the bigger picture of PMDP, of their career, of their life.
PMDP is currently accepting admissions for the Middle Managers Class. For inquiries, you may send an email at pmdp.admissions@dap.edu.ph or visit the following PMDP’s official website and social media accounts:
