ISUFST, WVSU, SAN ENRIQUE HOLD INCEPTION  MEET FOR STEP UP MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT

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The Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST), in partnership with the West Visayas State University (WVSU) and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of San Enrique, held an inception meeting for the STEP UP Project on Friday, October 31, 2025, at the San Enrique Tourism Hall, San Enrique, Iloilo. The meeting formally set the direction for the two-year initiative designed to strengthen the municipality’s mental health and psychosocial support programs for teachers and professionals.

The gathering, hosted by the LGU of San Enrique through the town’s Tourism Office, brought together experts, educators, and local leaders for what ISUFST President Dr. Nordy D. Siason Jr. called “the first of many steps toward building a more caring and compassionate learning community.”

The STEP UP Project, short for San Enrique Training for Educators and Professionals in Uplifting Psychosocial Support, is an ISUFST-initiated program that aims to train guidance advocates and teachers in providing mental health and emotional support to students. Developed by ISUFST’s guidance and education team, the project invited WVSU’s College of Education as a partner to expand its pool of expert trainers and technical specialists in counseling and psychological first aid.

“STEP UP was born out of our desire to respond to the growing emotional and mental health needs in schools,” said Project Leader Dr. Herman M. Lagon, who designed the initiative. “We envisioned it as a bridge between expertise and empathy—where teachers, counselors, and local leaders work together to ensure that no learner is left unsupported.”

The inception meeting, which started at 10:30 a.m., gathered eight guidance counselors from WVSU, led by Dr. Amabel Tangco-Siason, Project Team Leader and creator of the Competent and Responsive Education (CaRE) toolkit, and former College of Education Dean Dr. Hilda Montaño. They were joined by Dr. Rejie F. Palmos, Dr. Baby Rose G. Robles, Prof. Jan Iris Faye M. Basbas, Prof. Gift D. Tragico, and Prof. Jennet F. Pajura.

Representing ISUFST were President Dr. Nordy D. Siason Jr., Guidance Counselors Dr. Imelda Arenga and Mrs. Junna Mari Pacardo, Psychometrician Mr. Dwight Deslate, and Guidance Advocate Ms. Nilbe Deocampo, together with San Enrique Extension Chair Dr. Regie Salmeron, Campus Administrator Dr. Rex Diaz, Prof. Glenn Dador, and faculty members.

The WVSU and ISUFST teams were welcomed by San Enrique Tourism Head Dr. JJ Patubo, who organized a cultural performance featuring the ISUFST Kalamay Festival Dancers and hosted a brief town museum tour and native good treats. “With this project, our dream that every San Enriquenhon can graduate from a university and become a well-grounded, productive citizen becomes more achievable,” Patubo said.

For WVSU Team Leader Dr. Amabel Siason, the meeting marked a meaningful milestone: “San Enrique is the first community to partner with us under this kind of advocacy. We are grateful to be part of this ‘historical first’ that goes back to the core of our mission—to make empathy, care, and mental health a shared responsibility.”

In his message, Dr. Nordy Siason emphasized that ISUFST’s role as project initiator reflects the university’s commitment to research-driven, community-based education. “Through STEP UP, we’re not only sharing knowledge—we’re empowering local educators and leaders to create safer, kinder, and more responsive schools,” he said.

Before the meeting, the WVSU team was welcomed at ISUFST Dingle Campus by Campus Administrator Dr. Dingras Balbona, Dean Ricardo Paborada, Jr., Dean Renante Diamante, faculty, and staff, including Guidance Counselor Ms. Roussel Justinn Esmeralda, before proceeding to San Enrique and the Tiwi Main Campus for lunch and fellowship with ISUFST officials.

The STEP UP Project, running through 2027, will equip guidance advocates across San Enrique’s schools with modules on psychological first aid, stress management, empathy building, and trauma-informed care, among others. Phase 1 (Module 1), focusing on Emotional Support and Psychological First Aid (PFA), is scheduled for October 27–28, 2025.

The initiative supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3—Good Health and Well-Being and 4—Quality Education, reflecting ISUFST’s dedication to inclusive, humane, and sustainable education. It is worth noting that the STEP UP project was officially launched on October 14, 2025, through the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between ISUFST, represented by Dr. Siason, and the LGU of San Enrique, represented by Mayor Gian Carlo Niño P. Fernandez.

With ISUFST leading the initiative, WVSU providing guidance expertise, and the LGU ensuring local support, the STEP UP Project demonstrates how collaboration can turn compassion into concrete action—one school, one learner, and one community at a time. (Photos by LGU of San Enrique, Dwight Deslate, and RJ Patosa| PAMMCO)