Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU) and the Department of Education Schools Division of Negros Occidental (DepEd SDO Negros Occidental) officially signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at Nature’s Village Resort on June 2, 2026, to launch the transformative collaborative community extension program titled AGHAM-NEGROS.
Leading the CHMSU delegation was President Norberto Mangulabnan, while Schools Division Superintendent Gladys Amylaine Sales represented DepEd SDO Negros Occidental in the MOA signing.
Accompanying Pres. Mangulabnan as witnesses in the signing were VP for Research, Extension, and Intellectual Property Ma. Riza Manalo and Director for Extension and Community Services Wanny Jaron. Joining SDS Sales was Education Program Supervisor for Science Maritess Rivera.
AGHAM-NEGROS, officially known as “Advancing Gender-Sensitive Hands-on Ability of Mentors: Nurturing Excellence, Growth, Resilience, and Opportunities through Science Instrumentation,” directly targets critical empirical gaps identified in teacher proficiency, with a deliberate focus on supporting female and long-tenured secondary science educators who require targeted interventions in laboratory instrumentation.
This extension program will be led by College of Education faculty Joji Linaugo, Raymond Temporosa, Lydia Gorriceta, and Faith Celeste Ole.
ECS / SDO Negros Occidental photos
Under the signed agreement, CHMSU will serve as the lead implementing agency, deploying key faculty experts to manage the initiative and opening its state-of-the-art laboratory facilities for hands-on technical writeshops.
Concurrently, DepEd SDO Negros Occidental will facilitate the strategic participation of up to 136 junior high school public science teachers, while providing a substantial financial commitment to cover comprehensive module production, participant training materials, and necessary workshop accommodations.
Also joining the ceremony were College of Education Dean Ophelia Duayan, Director for Research and Development Services Ivy Aboy, Executive Assistant Josel Osal, faculty members, and Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Science students.
The ceremonial event concluded successfully with dedicated professional messages from Pres. Mangulabnan and SDS Sales, cementing both institutions’ shared commitment to cultivating sustainable, systemic excellence within the region’s public science educational framework.
ECS / SDO Negros Occidental photos
Day 1 of AGHAM-NEGROS Training Workshops
After the MOA signing ceremony, the participating public school teachers joined the plenary session then were clustered into different classes, transitioning to the parallel workshops led by the AGHAM-NEGROS program and project leaders, which will run from June 2 until 5.
The science educators underwent the “Basic Laboratory Safety and Maintenance” session and Biology hands-on workshops with Prof. Temporosa. Prof. Linaugo discussed the “Proper Waste Disposal and Laboratory Practices” as well as a session and hands-on Earth Science
The groups then went into breakout session including a “Familiarization of Laboratory Apparatus, Equipment, and Their Functions” and “Proper Handling, Operations, Manipulation of Common Laboratory Tools and Apparatus” led by Prof. Gorriceta at the Chemistry Laboratory at the CHMSU Talisay (Main) Campus. Meanwhile, the cluster of participants with Prof. Ole had an interactive session and workshop on the introduction on Physics instrumentation.
ECS / SDO Negros Occidental photos
