FEU-EAC Adopted Community

The adopted community of the FEU-EAC is Barangay 448 and 439 under San Roque Parish. The place popularly known as “Maisan” is a community located at the heart of Sampaloc. Several infrastructures and public and private establishments surround the community. In the north, a gasoline station, high-rise residential buildings, middle class suburb and a public elementary school. On the south, Trabajo Market and business establishment can be seen. In eastern portion of the community, middle class suburb and San Roque De Sampaloc Parish Church, this serves as the center for religious activities of the Catholic. In the west are a public hospital and two (2) public elementary schools.

According to the elderly residents, the community started in 1969 when people migrated from Visayas region, particularly from Tacloban and Samar to Maisan. The chief source of livelihood then was preparing and vending corn thus gave rise to the name of the community as “Maisan” by the neighboring communities. In the course of the continuous interaction with the community, it was noted that they prefer to be called as “Corn Village” because it sounds better than “Maisan”.

In 2002 the Office of Community Affairs (OCA) was established to address the need for a community extension arm of the then EACIT. In 2004 the office became a unit under the Student Affairs and Community Services Office. During the same year, FEU-East Asia College initiated conducting community involvement activities. The said activities were delivered under auspice of the Community Extension Services Unit. The activities include the sporadic efforts aimed at reaching out to various marginalized sectors of the society. During the same year, the college embarked in a more sustainable community initiative by launching the adopt-a-community program. The said program aims to identify a slum community that will serve as the recipient of various community involvement activities of the college. This initiative resulted in the identification of a group of informal settler located along M. Dela Fuente Street, Sampaloc, Manila.

Several achievements were noted in the first year of working with community. Amongst other includes, donating desktop computers in order to set-up a community-based computer learning center for out of school youth in collaboration with San Roque De Sampaloc Parish Church. In addition, organizing youth groups and setting-up a multi-purpose cooperative were also initiated. Despite of the noteworthiness of the said accomplishments, the said initiative were best with problems owing to the low participation rate of the community and weak monitoring which result from the abrupt change of officer-in-charge.

In May 2007, the Student Affairs and Community Services Office-Community Extension Service Unit revive the commitment of the FEU - East Asia College in conducting community outreach program. The said initiative started by conducting exploratory dialogues with possible community stakeholders located in M. Dela Fuente Street and Amelia Street, Sampaloc, who were part of a two- (2) month community study. The said study aims to ascertain a factual description of the community along with the identification of social issues/concerns and problems that hamper community development. The result of the study was then used as benchmarks in formulating community-driven programs and services that the College offers in order to respond to the said needs.

In July 2007, the Student Affairs and Community Services Office with the help of the faculty members launched several community outreach programs. The activities conducted to address socio-economic issues, leadership, short-term skills training program, technology transfer.

In order to sustain the activities, SACSO-CESU Associates are actively collaborating with Barangay Officials in organizing parents and youth groups. SACSO-CESU firmly believes that ultimate objective of any community activity is people empowerment.