As Baguio City and La Trinidad are the centers for tertiary education in Northern Luzon, many students got stranded on March 17 when Luzon was placed under ECQ. 

Prompted by a call from the municipal LGU of Bakun, we decided to focus immediately on helping the stranded students and other students who had to stay in La Trinidad to finish their online schooling. 

Where students’ boarding houses were located, we coordinated with barangay LGUs for their food supplies. Students in Baguio City also moved to La Trinidad so they could access food from their relatives more easily. The hub then offered free accommodation to them. A six-room dormitory within the office of IYAMAN INC., a hub member, was offered to Benguet tertiary students. To date, 10 students who were endorsed by the hub networks stayed there. All of them are from the Cordillera. 

Both students and parents felt safe as a house parent supervised them and reported regularly to the hub for proper monitoring. It was also easy to send money and food because the dormitory is located near the main road. The barangay LGU officials were grateful the students were well taken care of in a clean and spacious environment. 

We will continue this hub initiative while the Covid-19 crisis is not yet over.

By Cristina Segnaken Aban, Cordillera Network of NGOs and POs (CORDNET)