Model Community eCenter brings digital literacy to women in barangays

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January 28, 2012

TANAUAN, Leyte  –  The Community eCenter of Tanauan, Leyte which emerged as the grand winner for both the CeC and the Knowledge Worker categories of the 2nd Philippine CeC Excellence awards, has recently embarked on a new undertaking, that of bringing digital literacy to women right in their respective barangays.

Mr. Eugene Ramos, the CeC manager and this year’s Knowledge Worker, informed that many women in the 54 barangays of Tanauan cannot afford to go to the center in the town proper in order to learn about digital information technology.

Thus, instead of the women coming to the CeC, the CeC staff brings the technology to the women right at their barangays, Mr. Ramos said.

So far, the CeC of Tanauan has conducted digital literacy training in three barangays, Canramos, San Roque and Bantagan, Mr. Ramos informed. He said he is happy that many women really show their interest to learn about the course.

Ramos disclosed that as far as he knows, the undertaking is the first of its kind among the country’s CeCs.

The CeC manager disclosed that this undertaking is in support to the Philippine Digital Literacy for Women Campaign (PDLWC) which aims to empower 10,000 women from the poor and marginalized communities in the Philippines through digital literacy training.

The campaign is spearheaded by the Commission on ICT, together with the members of the PhilCeCNet and the telecentre.org Foundation.

CeC Tanauan has committed to train at least 800 underprivileged women out of the 10,000 target.

The series of digital literacy training in Tanauan uses the Intel Easy Step modules which the organizers found useful and comprehensive tools in the Basic ICT Training Course.  The course covers five modules; self-practice activities were conducted after every module.

The CeC continues to provide ICT trainings at the Center for those who are interested to learn. At the same time, it also manages the eSkwela for the out of school youth and adults who wish to finish elementary and high school without going to the regular schools.

Ramos informed that several eSkwela graduates are now enrolled in college after passing the equivalency examinations of DepEd.