Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) has reaffirmed its commitment to student welfare, particularly for dependents of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), through its key role in the launch of Project Guidance and Resilience for Opportunities and Well-being of Students (GROWS), held at the University of Northern Philippines on May 19, 2025.
Spearheaded by the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office 1 (CHED RO1), Project GROWS is a regional initiative aimed at addressing student attrition, mental health challenges, and career uncertainties by enhancing support systems within higher education institutions. The program gives special attention to vulnerable student populations, including OFW dependents.
Recognized as a major academic hub for OFW students in Region 1, DMMMSU has been tapped as a vital partner in the initiative. The university’s well-established guidance and counseling program aligns with Project GROWS’ objectives, offering integrated mental health services, resilience training, and career development support.
A key element of the initiative is a strengthened partnership with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), designed to streamline the implementation of educational and psychosocial support programs. Notably, OWWA’s OFW Dependent Scholarship and Education for Development Scholarship will be more strategically embedded into the student services framework of participating institutions, including DMMMSU.
The event also signaled a leadership transition within the Region I Association of Guidance Counselors (RIAGC), with DMMMSU’s Therese Palacpac elected as Vice President for La Union. She succeeds fellow university guidance counselor Claudia Denise P. Barbadillo, maintaining DMMMSU’s longstanding leadership in the regional counseling network.
DMMMSU’s delegation—comprising Therese Palacpac, Claudia Denise Barbadillo, Sherlyn Nitura, Imelda Coloma, and Angie S. Domondon—actively engaged in networking and strategic planning sessions during the launch. Their participation underscores the university’s proactive stance in advancing guidance services and mental health advocacy. (By Claudia Denise P. Barbadillo)
