SUMS, OCESL Strengthen Collaboration on Community Engagement Initiatives

SUMS, OCESL Strengthen Collaboration on Community Engagement Initiatives

The Silliman University Medical School (SUMS) is set to strengthen its community engagement and service-learning initiatives following a collaborative meeting and initial action planning session with the Office of Community Engagement and Service-Learning (OCESL), on February 12, 2026, at the SUMS Faculty Room.
The Silliman University Medical School (SUMS) is set to strengthen its community engagement and service-learning initiatives following a collaborative meeting and initial action planning session with the Office of Community Engagement and Service-Learning (OCESL), on February 12, 2026, at the SUMS Faculty Room.

The Silliman University Medical School (SUMS) is set to strengthen its community engagement and service-learning initiatives following a collaborative meeting and initial action planning session with the Office of Community Engagement and Service-Learning (OCESL), on February 12, 2026, at the SUMS Faculty Room.

The session opened with welcoming remarks from SUMS Dean Dr. Jennifer Barimbao, who emphasized that community engagement is a core component of medical education. She noted that the Medical School aims to form physicians who are not only clinically competent but also socially accountable, compassionate, and responsive to community needs.

Barimbao highlighted that service-learning offers a structured approach to building on existing strengths and translating shared goals into concrete programs, while encouraging the integration of community engagement across academic courses and training.

Asst. Prof. Novee Maestrecampo Jr., Director of OCESL, presented an overview of the office’s functions, including extension programs, service-learning integration, and volunteerism initiatives. He explained that these support mechanisms can help enhance SUMS’ ongoing and future community-based efforts.

Faculty and staff members of SUMS and OCESL, together with Dr. Jennifer Barimbao and Asst. Prof. Novee Maestrecampo Jr. (second and far left, respectively), pose at the SUMS Faculty Room.
Faculty and staff members of SUMS and OCESL, together with Dr. Jennifer Barimbao and Asst. Prof. Novee Maestrecampo Jr. (second and far left, respectively), pose at the SUMS Faculty Room.

The meeting brought together SUMS faculty members and OCESL representatives, including Dr. Kerwin Mark L. Gubantes, Dr. Gamaliel Garcia, Dr. Georgitta P. Sasing, Dr. Roy Diamond Arco, Dr. Leah Nita Verdillo, Dr. Julia Queven Co, Dr. Mae Anne S. Amin, Dr. Franciene P. Vasquez, Dr. Casey Yee, Dr. Awa Singco, Dr. Ann Bernardes, Dr. Geraldine Sinco, Dr. Erlynn Quiñanoza, and Dr. Maria Isabel M. Arco.

During the discussion, OCESL also shared its network of established community partners that may serve as platforms for expanded engagement. These partnerships aim to support structured collaboration, align initiatives with institutional goals, and develop needs-responsive programs.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen collaboration between SUMS and OCESL and to further integrate community engagement into the Medical School’s academic and clinical formation of future physicians.

February 20, 2026 | News |
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