The Commission on Higher Education – Caraga Regional Office (CHED Caraga) showcased its talents once again as hosts during the weekly CHED-wide Virtual Flag Raising Ceremony on June 20, 2022, an initiative spearheaded and scheduled by the CHED Central Office as a means for the Central and Regional Offices to convene and commune. The program for the ceremony revolved around the theme, “Green Movement: Independence Towards Sustainable Community.” 

The Flag Ceremony was attended by key officials and personnel of all CHED Central and Regional Offices, as well as key officials of the Caraga Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) via Zoom teleconferencing platform.

With the theme, “Green Movement: Independence Towards Sustainable Community,”

The office aimed to shift the spotlight on a special kind of independence that everyone is capable of: The independence to contribute to the Green Movement, and help in creating a sustainable community. The theme also highlighted June as Philippine Environment Month.

Participated by the CHED Caraga personnel in full force, the program involved performances by the CHED Caraga Chorale of the opening prayer, the Philippine National Anthem, ASEAN Hymn, and CHED Hymn, and the Panunumpa sa Watawat ng Pilipinas and Panunumpa ng Lingkod Bayan as is traditionally done during the CHED flag ceremony. 

The talents of Caraga HEIs were also featured through performances by the Caraga State University Dulimbay Theater Arts Guild and the Father Saturnino Urios University Butwa’an Dance Ensemble.

The Flag Ceremony featured video presentations of the CHED Caraga’s recent special projects headed by Regional Director Dr. George M. Colorado: the Provision of Assistance to the Victims of Super Typhoon Odette and the Growing One Million Trees Advocacy Project.

A special keynote speech was given by Forester Luis P. Gonzaga, Regional Coordinator of the Expanded National Greening Program (ENGP) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Caraga Region (DENR Caraga) on the Importance and Benefits of Tree-Planting Initiatives.