{"id":1837,"date":"2025-05-09T14:47:38","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T06:47:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pahinungod.upou.edu.ph\/?p=1837"},"modified":"2026-01-14T09:41:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T01:41:34","slug":"bridge-ing-gaps-building-futures-discovering-purpose-and-transforming-education-through-volunteerism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pahinungod.upou.edu.ph\/?p=1837","title":{"rendered":"BRIDGE-ing Gaps, Building Futures: Discovering Purpose and Transforming Education through Volunteerism"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UPOU <\/span>Ugnayan ng Pahinung\u00f3d<\/span><\/i> recently concluded its 2025 Online Bridge Program, a massive open online course (MOOC) designed to help senior high school students\u2014particularly those from underserved areas\u2014overcome learning gaps and prepare for college entrance exams such as the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Running from January to March, the program offered free online courses in English, Math, and Physics, reaching over 2,000 students across Region X. With the help of 73 volunteer course coordinators (CCs) and 54 dedicated teacher focal persons, students engaged in weekly synchronous classes, self-paced modules, and interactive online learning. Despite the usual challenges of access and motivation, the program achieved an average of 52% across all subjects \u2014 a testament to the dedication of both learners and volunteers. This result will not be possible without the help of UPOU <\/span>Pahinung\u00f3d<\/span><\/i> volunteers who worked closely with the students, guiding them in task completion and ensuring they had the support they needed to successfully finish the course. <\/span><\/p>\n

With weekly synchronous sessions and interactive activities facilitated by the volunteer CCs, students not only improved academically but also gained the confidence to pursue their dreams of higher education \u2014 some expressing motivation to pursue college in UP. <\/span><\/p>\n

As shared by one of the students: <\/span>\u201cI would like to thank you all (course coordinators) for being so kind during our online meetings. You guys really motivated me to pursue going to UP. I’ve always wanted to go to UP, but I lacked the courage, but now that this opportunity came, it really opened my eyes and lit a fire inside my heart. Words cannot describe how thankful I am\u2026\u201d<\/i><\/b> <\/i><\/p>\n

Many students are expressing their gratitude towards the CCs <\/span>\u201c<\/b>for being so patient and supportive throughout the course.\u201d<\/i><\/b> One student shared that <\/span>\u201c<\/b>Math isn\u2019t always easy\u2014lalo na for someone like me na nag-struggle talaga\u2014but [they] made it more understandable and less intimidating. [Their] way of teaching, with all the interactive activities and clear explanations, really helped me gain more confidence in solving problems. Kahit minsan mahirap, [they] never made us feel pressured, and instead, [they] encouraged us to keep trying. I really appreciate the effort and dedication [they] put into guiding us. Because of this course, I feel more prepared to take on more challenging math topics. Thank you for making learning math a better experience po ma’am sir!\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

These words encapsulate how UPOU <\/span>Pahinungod<\/span><\/i> volunteers greatly contribute to the success of the delivery of the programs and how their time and dedication translate words into actions and vision into reality.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t