Ifugao State U showcases bayanihan in COVID-19 emergency response program

IFUGAO STATE UNIVERSITY employees distribute  total of 200 seed kits with corresponding techno-guides and polyethylene bags to farmers and households  willing to adopt urban gardening practices.

By Marcelo B. Lihgawon

LAMUT, Ifugao – The Ifugao State University (IFSU) has implemented its Covid-19 Emergency Response Program

Dubbed  “Baddangan  Project,” it  has components such as adopt-a-student, Libreng Sakay, distribution of  food and non-food  including face masks and shields,  COVID Operation  Linis, community health  assistance, “Muntanom ta waday Kanon response to household food security and linggop, mental health support and assistance.

Under the Adopt-a-Student, some students stranded due to the enhanced community quarantine are accommodated by families of IFSU employees.

Through the Libreng Sakay, 60 students stranded at IFSU due to the ECQ were ferried home to their families within Ifugao and nearby provinces.  It also provides free transport services to fronliners.

The Baddangan  has already provided 660 re-usable facemask and 680 do-it-yourself face shields, gallons of alcohol and cooked food packs to frontline workers across the province while sacks of rice were distributed to local government units.

Around P292, 000 was raised by the University from cash donations of employees, alumni, and other private individuals. This was utilized to purchase much-needed grocery items for stranded students, frontline workers, and communities.

In-kind donations from employees, private individuals, and small businesses continue to pour in for IFSU’s relief operations.

Under the Community Health Assistance against COVID-19, IFSU distributed information, education, and communication materials and hygiene to households, initiated a health literacy project that benefited hospital patients and community members in Lamut, Ifugao and conducted information drive activities through various media platforms.

The University Health Clinic also opens daily for check-up services of students and community members. It has served at least 70 clients and counting. 

Under  the "Linggop": Mental Health Support and Assistance,  at least 22 on the job training students deployed in Palawan, Vietnam and Israel are provided  online counselling by the Department of Psychology.
 IFSU monitors developments on COVID-19 to see how it can extend support to the government and its communities.

“IFSU remains to be a partner in the fight against the COVID19 crisis. Our simple way to convey our appreciation. Salute to all our frontline workers,” IFSU president Dr. Eva Marie Codamon-Dugyon said. -- With reports from Ifugao PIA and IFSU