Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation (MSEUF) expanded its community outreach efforts in 2025 by organizing programs that connected underserved communities in Lucena City with essential health, social welfare, and community support services.
Through its Community Extension Service initiatives and partnerships with government agencies, the University facilitated access to medical consultations, health education, civil registration assistance, and social welfare services for community beneficiaries.
These activities reflected MSEUF's commitment to community service and its institutional values of Mindfulness, Service, Excellence, Unity, and Fortitude.
Bringing essential services closer to the Sama-Bajau community
On Oct. 30, 2025, MSEUF, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office IV-A, organized SAMA-SAYA: Sama-samang Saya Kasama ang Sama-Bajau ng Lucena at the University Gymnasium.
The program brought together 153 Sama-Bajau beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) from Barangays Dalahican and Barra in Lucena City.
The initiative provided opportunities for community members to participate in educational activities and access public services through a coordinated Service Caravan.
The program included health and nutrition education, with discussions on personal hygiene and waste management. These activities aimed to strengthen participants' awareness of practices related to personal well-being, community health, and sanitation.
Facilitating access to health and social welfare services
A major component of SAMA-SAYA was the Service Caravan, which brought together the City Health Office, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), PhilHealth, and DSWD to provide services to participating community members.
The Service Caravan offered medical consultations, birth registration assistance, and social welfare services, bringing government support closer to the Sama-Bajau community.
Through this partnership, MSEUF provided a venue and coordinated a community outreach activity that connected beneficiaries with participating service providers.
Medical consultations addressed access to healthcare, while health and nutrition education provided participants with information related to their well-being. Birth registration and social welfare assistance also helped connect beneficiaries with government services and administrative support.
The documented participation of 153 community beneficiaries represented a measurable accomplishment of the outreach initiative. However, the available report did not specify how many individuals received each type of service.
Extending community support through financial literacy and livelihood education
MSEUF also implemented community-based financial literacy and entrepreneurship education through its Hatid Kaalaman sa Pagnenegosyo initiative in January 2025.
The activity involved the College of Business and Accountancy, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Community Relations Department, DSWD, and the Lucena City local government.
The program provided parents of 4Ps beneficiaries with learning opportunities related to starting small businesses, managing finances, and planning for sustainable livelihood activities.
This initiative complemented MSEUF's broader community development efforts by sharing practical knowledge intended to help participants explore livelihood opportunities and strengthen household financial management.
Although the initiative addressed economic empowerment, its documented activities primarily concerned entrepreneurship education rather than direct access to basic services.
Strengthening community partnerships for accessible services
The University's 2025 outreach initiatives demonstrated the value of collaboration among higher education institutions, government agencies, and local communities.
Through SAMA-SAYA, MSEUF helped coordinate service delivery involving health, civil registration, and social welfare agencies. The activity brought participating organizations and community beneficiaries together in a university setting.
These partnerships supported the University's threefold function of instruction, research, and community service by extending institutional engagement beyond the campus and responding to identified community needs.
The initiatives also demonstrated MSEUF's commitment to student-centered and transformative education through community engagement, where university expertise and institutional resources contribute to addressing real-world concerns.
Contribution to SDG 1: No Poverty
MSEUF's community outreach efforts supported United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty, particularly its objective of improving access to essential services among communities experiencing social and economic disadvantage.
The SAMA-SAYA initiative directly relates to Indicator 1.4.3 of the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings, which assesses university-organized training or programs designed to improve access to basic services, including health, sanitation, and other essential living needs.
Through its Oct. 30, 2025 Service Caravan, MSEUF facilitated medical consultations and health education for members of the Sama-Bajau community, alongside birth registration and social welfare assistance delivered through government partnerships.
The documented participation of 153 beneficiaries and the involvement of multiple service agencies demonstrate the implementation of a coordinated outreach initiative addressing access to basic services.
By bringing university resources, government services, and local communities together, MSEUF strengthened its role as a community development partner and advanced its commitment to inclusive education, social responsibility, and sustainable development.