educNEWS August 2012

educNEWS

VOL. I NO. 8 / AUGUST 2012

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

NCAE: First step to wise career decisions

Harnessing the arts as a profession

GO! Education offers hope to public schools Angono: Haven for student artists

R O F E

T L O N A

S

brother’s brew

Art is its own reason for being

I

t is its own excuse for its existence. In school, aside from academic disciplines, equal emphasis is given to sports, values formation and the arts. This is because our goal as educators is not only to develop functional learners but more importantly to mold a holistic person. We do not only impart knowledge and enrich the mind, we also awaken in our students appreciation for the beauty of God’s creations so that it can lift our spirit.

In Angono Rizal, there is this school for the special program in the arts which is a model school, established purposely so that art can truly flourish. Aside from the surfeit of talents, arts thrive in Angono because of the support of the LGU and the community.

2│

educNEWS

Filipinos are deeply steeped into the arts. We sing without provocation, we compose poems and craft essays like it is the most natural thing to do. We dance with elan and flair and paint with passion and wild abandon. We continue to create and do so beautifully as a race. Sadly, only a few parents would encourage their kids to go into the arts because the usual mindset is that arts in the Philippines is not lucrative enough as a profession that it can neither bring food on the table nor send kids to school.

This is the reason why in K to 12 Basic Education Reform Program there is a separate stream for academics, technical-vocational and a distinct strand for sports and the arts. This is in recognition of the abundance of artistic Filipinos and the need to develop their craft. It is our vision that with K to 12 we can better equip our gifted students so that they will be well-prepared to become professional artists who deserve professional fees.

August 2012

educNEWS EDITORIAL TEAM

contents

ANNA CRISTINA M. GANZON editorial adviser MARIBEL P. CABASAL associate editor MELINDRE B. EGLORIA FLORELYN B. MORADA LEMUEL C. VALLES LAWRENCE D. CRUZ JASON O. VILLENA staff writers LEMUEL C. VALLES creative director ELINETTE B. DELA CRUZ layout artist JASON O. VILLENA graphic artist EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION DIVISION EDUCATIONAL AUDIO-VISUAL DIVISION photography

EducNews is published monthly by the Educational Information Division Office of the Secretary DepEd Complex, Pasig City.

Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.

educNEWS

VOL. I NO. 8 / AUGUST 2012

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

NCAE: First step to wise career decisions

Harnessing the arts as a profession

GO! Education offers hope to public schools Angono: Haven for student artists

R FO T LE NO SA

August 2012

About the cover Ronalyn Cruz, a Third Year student of Regional Pilot School for the Arts in Angono, Rizal in a pensive mood during one of their school activities. (Photo by Ruben Britania, Jr - EAVD).

5

8

12

02 brother’s brew Art is its own reason for being 04 editorial Ang Wika ni Nanay 05 feature Something to look forward to for the visually impaired in our midst 06 feature NCAE: First step to wise career decisions 08 banner story Angono: Haven for student artists 10 Go! Education Go! Education offers hope to public schools 12 feature Mother nature smiles: a billion trees shall bloom 13 the looking glass Children, take your seats!

14 feature Yakap at Halik ni Inang Nasasabik 15 pluma ng diwa Aking Hinaing EducNews welcomes contributions from the DepEd community. Materials may be submitted to the Educational Information Division, Room B-110, Ground Floor, Bonifacio Building with telefax number (02) 6341169 or email eid.deped@yahoo.com.

educNEWS │ 3

editorial

Ang Wika ni Nanay

A

ng pagpapalaganap ng multilingual education o paggamit ng wikang kinamulatan sa sarisariling tahanan, ng Filipino at ng Ingles sa ating mga paaralan ay alinsunod sa direktiba ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino na batay na rin sa kanyang ten-point basic education agenda.

Ayon sa kanya kailangan nating pandayin ang paggamit ng wikang gamit sa tahanan upang manatiling konektado sa ating kinagisnang kultura; kailangang hasain ang paggamit ng wikang Pilipino upang tumibay ang pagkakabigkis sa ating bansa, at kailangang pag-aralan ng buong husay ang Ingles upang makipag-ugnayan sa mundo.

Kaya’t mula pa noong 2010, ang Mother TongueBased Multilingual Education (MTBMLE) ay ipinatupad na ng DepEd sa pagtuturo ng mga aralin sa loob ng silid aralan mula preschool hanggang sa ikatlong baitang at pati na rin sa alternative learning system.

Ayon sa mga dalubhasang pag-aaral, malaki ang naitutulong sa mabilis na pagkakatuto ng mga bata kung ang gagamitin muna ay ang kinamulatang dila bago pag-aralan ang iba pang wika.

Gamit ang sariling wika na itinuro ni Nanay, mas madali sa mga bata na maintindihan ang paksa, ang magbasa at magsulat, ang magkuwento at kumanta dahil pamilyar na sila at hindi na kailangan pang isalin sa sariling karanasan at kaisipan ang nadidinig na leksyon sa eskwela araw-araw.

Kung hindi nalilimitahan ng salita ang pag-aaral ng ating mga bata, sila ay mas nagiging malayang mag-isip. Hindi ba’t sa malayang pag-iisip din nahahasa ang pagiging mapanuri at ang malalim na pagtatanong kung bakit nangyayari ang mga bagay- bagay sa ating kapaligiran.

Ayon sa mga guro, marami raw mga bata sa preschool ang tumutungo o tumitingin sa kawalan kung sila ay kinakausap sa wikang Ingles. Pero pag kinausap mo na sila sa wikang gamit sa tahanan, nabubuhayan sila ng loob. Labindalawang katutubong salita ang opisyal na ipinapagamit ng DepEd. Ang mga ito ay Iloko, Pangasinense, Kalangoyan, Kapampangan, Sambal, Tagalog, Minangyan, Bikol,

4│

educNEWS

Hiligaynon, Aklanon, Cebuano, Waray-Waray, Chavacano, Yakan, T’Boli, Surigaonon, Adasen, Bunungan, In Laud, Marano and Maguindanaon.

Naniniwala tayo sa sinasabi ng mga mananaliksik na mas mabilis matuto ng pangalawa, pangatlo at mas marami pang wika ang ating mga mag-aaral kung mauuna muna silang hasain sa kinamulatang wika.

Ang pagpapatupad ng MTBMLE ay tila hampas ng sariwang hangin sa ating sistema ng edukasyon. Kung may pagbabagong magaganap, sisimulan muna ito sa pinakapayak – ito nga ang napakahalagang wika na tulay na pagkakaunawaan araw-araw. Dahil ito rin ang tulay para sa malalim na pagkakatuto at malawak na edukasyon.

Marahil nung sinabi ni Dr. Jose Rizal, “Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay masahol pa sa hayop at malansang isda,” gusto nya ring sabihin na kasama nating mamahalin ang wikang unang namutawi sa labi ng ating mga Nanay.

August 2012

feature

Something to look forward to for the visually impaired in our midst

by Lawrence Cruz

T

he Department of Education (DepEd) will pay tribute to the blind or the visually impaired persons on “White Cane Safety Day” on August 1, with this year’s theme, “Making the Rights Real Right Now for the Visually Impaired.”

Brother Armin issued DepEd Memorandum No. 108 series of 2012 directing all bureau and regional directors, schools division/city superintendents and heads of public and private elementary and secondary schools to observe the 23rd White Cane Safety Day celebration pursuant to Republic Act 6759.

The celebration, which is the first activity of the Sight Saving Month Celebration in August aims to stimulate public awareness and promote of the rights and welfare of the blind.

August 2012

The white cane serves as a symbol of independence and self-reliance.It also aims to promote and encourage courtesy and special consideration for the blind on our streets and highways.

The number of blind people worldwide has been projected to increase to 76 million by 2020. Cataract, the opacification of the normally clear lens of the eye, is the most common cause of blindness worldwide. It is the cause of blindness in 62% cases in the Philippines and is found mostly in the older age groups. The only cure for cataract blindness is surgery. This procedure is available in almost all provinces of the country; however there are barriers in accessing such services. Interventions will therefore consist of increasing awareness about cataract and cataract surgery; as well as improving the delivery of cataract services. Errors of refraction is the most common cause of visual impairment in the country. Errors of refraction are

corrected either with spectacle glasses, contact lenses or surgery. The services to address the problem of EOR are provided mainly by optometrists.

The Philippines is a signatory in the Global Elimination of Avoidable Blindness: Vision 2020 – The Right to Sight aims to develop sustainable comprehensive health care system to ensure the best possible vision for all people.

“It is encouraged that all SPED centers, public and private schools with SPED programs observe the White Cane Safety Day with appropriate activities without, however disrupting classes,” said Romeo Mina, Senior Education Program Specialist at BEESPED. The White Cane Inter-Agency Committee with the DepEd as the lead agency concurred that the celebration will be conducted from July 30 to August 4, 2012. continued on page 14

educNEWS │ 5

feature

NCAE: First step to wise career decisions

by Florelyn Cherry B. Morada

“W

ith their abilities plus proper guidance from us, our students would be led to the right career path,” said Dr. Nelia Benito, director of the National Education Testing and Research Center (NETRC). This is the reason behind the development of the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) which serves as a guide for high school students to make wise career decisions.

Launched in 2006, the NCAE is an aptitude test geared toward providing information through test results for self-assessment, career awareness and career guidance of high school students for their post-secondary courses and application for scholarship. NCAE

6│

educNEWS

aims to provide relevant information on the skills, abilities and readiness of high school students for academic and non-academic courses.

According to Benito, NCAE is administered to all third year high school students in public and private schools operating with permit as well as to fourth year students and out-ofschool youths who are applying for Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) scholarship programs.

It is a locally developed paper and pencil test which was standardized and validated using Filipino respondents.

It utilizes scannable answer sheets that are processed electronically, a

multiple-choice type of test, culture fair and sensitive, and provides an enduser-friendly report format.

More time to prepare “NCAE was initially administered to fourth year students but beginning school year 2011 to 2012 DepEd has given the exam to third year students so that they will have more time to prepare for electives in the K to 12 curriculum,” Benito stressed.

The test measures the general scholastic aptitude of an examinee which includes scientific ability, reading comprehension, verbal ability and mathematical ability. Under the technical-vocational aptitude are August 2012

interest of the individual examinees are likewise displayed in the certificate.

Benito explained that the scores on the subtests of the NCAE are computed separately and transformed to standard scores and percentile ranks. In standard score, the mean is 500 and the standard deviation is 100.

The highest scores are in the 700’s and the lowest scores are in the 300’s.

The percentile rank shows the examinee’s position among all the examinees. If an examinee scores at percentile rank 99+, it means that he scored above the other 99 percent of the examinees.

The percentile rank scores are equivalent to the descriptive ratings as follows: excellent – 99+, very high – 98 - 99, above average – 86 - 97, average – 51- 85, low average – 15 - 50, below average – 3 - 14, poor – 1 - 2, and very poor – 0 - .99 With the results of the NCAE, the students will be directed to occupational fields where they would be potentially productive and successful.

Skills that empower

clerical ability and visual manipulative skills. Entrepreneurial skills cover planning and decision making; budgeting, marketing and forecasting; and creativity. It also measures the logical reasoning ability, non-verbal ability and occupational interest with components on outdoor, mechanical, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and clerical.

Strength and weaknesses “The examinees can gauge their individual strength and weaknesses in every domain or area measured based on the test results,” Benito said. The Certificate of Rating (COR) contains the report on how the examinees August 2012

performed in the test which is presented in a graph alongside the standard scores and percentile ranks.

The overall General Scholastic Aptitude (GSA) and Technical Vocational Aptitude (TVA) scores are reported along with scores in the subtests. The GSA score is the average of the standard scores in these areas: scientific ability, reading comprehension, verbal ability and mathematical ability.

The TVA score is the composite of the clerical ability and visual manipulative skill scores.

The COR also reports scores for logical reasoning ability, nonverbal ability and entrepreneurial skills. The first and second occupational fields of

Based on the results of the NCAE over the years, Benito said, majority of our high school graduates have inclinations toward technicalvocational occupations. This validates DepEd’s decision to strengthen techvoc programs which will equip high school students with these skills that can empower them to find meaningful employment, whether or not they pursue college education.

“DepEd tech-voc curriculum is aligned with the training regulations of TESDA that will allow high school graduates to acquire TESDA national certificates,” Benito added.

The department is currently working on the intensification of career guidance programs in public national high schools and orientation of guidance staff in the schools division offices to maximize the utilization of the NCAE results in order to properly guide students in making wise career decisions.

On top of these, it is also the DepEd’s goal to improve the abilities of students in the general scholastic domain.

educNEWS │ 7

banner story

“I

sang makasining na umaga po sa inyong lahat!” greeted the students of the Regional Pilot School for the Arts in Angono, Rizal. Angono, a colorful town deeply embedded in its proud tradition is the Arts Capital of the Philippines.

DepEd priorities may have been towards English, Science, Math, Filipino and Araling Panlipunan, but the Department likewise, seeks excellence in the performing arts.

Thus in 2000, DepEd created regional schools with Special Program in the Arts (SPA) to give training to students with inclination to music, visual arts, theater arts, creative writing, media arts and dance.

Brother Armin said:”We want to develop campuses that nurture creativity, innovation and critical thinking among student artists. We also want an arts and culture program that naturally charms students into it,” he said.

The Regional Pilot School for the Arts-Angono, in Region 4-A, is the only regional school that has its own lot-as others are attached to their mother schools. It sits on a 3,000 square meters of lush tropical greenery with attractive natural landscape. Principal Amihan Fenis, a dancer and a gymnast said, “We are fortunate that Mayor Gerardo Calderon helped us acquire this lot. Along with the division office, the local government led in extending artistic literacy among the students of Angono and in safeguarding the cultural heritage of the locality. Hence, the faculty, is most passionate in executing this vision.”

Excellent linkage with the LGU, community “Ang kinatatayuan ng paaralan ay sakop ng St. Martin Subdivision ng Angono. Noong una, ayaw pumayag ng homeowners na gawing paaralan ang piraso ng kanilang lupa. Kaya noong Pasko ng 2004, hinarana ng mga bata ang mga homeowners at pagkatapos ay lumambot na rin ang kanilang mga puso,” said Mayor Calderon.

“Ninais kong bigyan ng permanenteng tahanan ang mga student-artists nang 8│

educNEWS

Angono: Haven for student artists

by Maribel Cabasal and Jason Villena

magkaroon ang Angono ng bagong sibol na San Pedro, Botong Francisco, Blanco at marami pang iba (All famed artists hail from Angono),” he added.

Today, the students perform during municipal and provincial events, including gatherings in the subdivision. From 2007 to this day, the provincial government of Rizal pays for the electric bill of the school.

Plans for the future The Regional Pilot School for the Arts is literally a work in progress!

Its music room was built from the proceeds of Justin Timberlake’s recent concert in the country, but the school awaits more comfort rooms and air conditioning units for its dance and theater arts rooms. The Mayor intends to build an amphitheater so the artists can have a bigger stage.

Learning areas The Music Program is designed for students with a flair for voice or instrumental music. Experts, however, say that there are very few music teachers in the country. This was confirmed by Lillian Luna, DepEd Education Program Specialist when she said: “kakaunti ang kumukuha ng music major at sa kakaunti na ito, fourth year college pa lang kasi sa Conservatory of Music, may trabaho nang nakaabang sa ibang bansa.”

But Angono School for the Arts is an exception! “Aside from our own specialist, we have Joyce RoxasTamondong, an excellent local singer, and graduate of the Conservatory of Music, whom we hire as visiting consultant twice a week, courtesy of the local government. Kahit na may kaunting gusot, go kami sa kumpetisyon kasi talo na August 2012

agad kung di ka sumali. Dapat, may paraan lagi,” Principal Amihan said.

The Visual Arts Program is for students who want to discover their creativity for studio painting, printmaking, creative crafts, sculpture and pottery. They get art lessons from visiting visual arts consultant Orvil D.R. Johnson, a local artist and a former resident artist of President Arroyo.

Johnson visits the students twice a week or when needed. He gets his pay from the local government.

The Theater Arts Program puts emphasis on group work and live performance in a number of styles and genres. The students are encouraged to use their region’s theater art forms as materials. Meanwhile, students can enlist themselves in the Creative Writing Program to write their ideas and experiences through poetry, fiction, playwriting and journalism.

August 2012

The Media Arts teaches students to create work through photography, video, audio and interactive media. The SPA schools have artistic collaboration and synergy in the different art programs. So when a photo shoot is done by the media arts class, the visual arts class paints the subject, and the creative writing class makes a poem out of the subject.

Meanwhile, the Dance Program develops techniques, movement, and a deeper understanding of dance as a form of communication and expression.

Offerings include folk, classical ballet, modern dance and jazz.

In Angono, dance students do not specialize in a single discipline but, master different dances. During the visit, the student dancers offered conceptually innovative, culturally rangy and flawless dances.

The school’s former scholars are now employed! Gabriel Tiamson, a former

scholar in instrumental music, is now a performer in Disneyland. Ariel Miguel Aragoncillo was the top 11 board placer during the 2011 Civil Engineering examination. Also, a number of graduates are now members of various dance troupes and cheering squads!

Integration in K to 12 Under the K to 12 program, senior high school will further focus on the preferred specialization of learners. In the case of student artists this means more time to polish their chosen art.

“Hopefully, the K to 12 would help change the perception of the arts as a chosen field of profession, not being lucrative. The arts, when put in the national agenda of the government and taken seriously by the students, can be a serious profession that can make a living and raise a family,” Luna concluded.

educNEWS │ 9

Go! Education

GO! Education offers hope to public schools

by Lemuel Valles

O

ur country’s educational system faces the usual cycle of shortages in resources, teachers who need skills upgrade and a curriculum that has to keep pace with the needs of our time. Alas this cycle has to stop. And we have the private sector to help us navigate this difficult task.

DepEd, in partnership with the Philippine Business for Education (PBED) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), recently launched the GO! (Greater Opportunities) Education campaign.

GO! Education goal: stop the slide of Philippine education and work towards its upgrade.

GO! Education focuses on three primary components: improvement of teacher quality, enhancement of the curriculum through the K to

10 │

educNEWS

12 program and achievement of set goals in addressing resource deficits,” Br. Armin Luistro said during GO! Education’s press launch at DepEd’s Bulwagan ng Karunungan last May 29.

GO! Education has the following ambassadors representing the three components of the program: Lou Sabrina Ongkiko, an Ateneo BS Biology graduate who chose to teach at Culiat Elementary School in Quezon City to represent teacher quality; Region 5 Assistant Regional Director Diosdado San Antonio will represent the resource components; and Peachie Flaviano, a mother of five public school students who represents reforms in the curriculum.

Upgrading teaching skills “Dito sa GO! Education, kaming mga teachers ay isa sa mga pangunahing tinututukan ng GO! Education at malaking bagay sa amin na malaman

na suportado kami ng aming mga boss (DepEd),” said Lou Sabrina Ongkiko.

DepEd continues to provide public school teachers with intensive training and additional benefits to improve their core competencies and boost their morale.

The GO! Education campaign seeks to further improve the teaching efficiency and competency of school heads through the School-Based Management program.

Relative to this, some 140,000 Grade 1 and Grade 7 teachers are undergoing training to ensure that they are equipped to handle the K to 12 program. Trainings are also given to educators who are implementing the Mother Tongue-Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE).

Bridging resource gaps “Bilang isang guro at lider ng mga paaralan sa probinsya, saksi ako sa mga

August 2012

kakulangan sa public school system.

Ngayon nga sa ilalim ng GO! Education ay pwede na itong maibsan,” Dir. Diosdado San Antonio said.

This year, the department expects to have a zero backlog in textbooks and classroom seats. It is the first time that a 1:1 student-textbook and student-seat ratio will be achieved.

DepEd also plans to decongest the 771 most heavily congested schools with 10,621 classrooms through Alternative Delivery Modes, such as home-study programs and the transfer of students to other schools.

Classroom shortage is expected to be reduced to 19,579 this year from 66,800 in 2010 utilizing funds from the 2012 budget and through public-private partnerships. The national budget allocates funds for 10,000 classrooms annually, while private organizations, through the Bayanihang Pampaaralan and TEN Moves, have pledged to donate 10,000 classrooms as well.

Classrooms for senior high school will be built beginning 2015.

Furthermore, DepEd is mounting a drive to address the shortage in sanitation facilities from 135,847 in 2010 to 80,937 this year. Overall, the department is committed to close gaps in classrooms, teachers, water and sanitation facilities within four years.

Enhancing the curriculum “Nang una kong mabalitaan ang tungkol sa K to 12 program, agad po akong sumang-ayon sapagkat mas pinaganda at pinalawak ang panahon ng pag-aaral ng mga mag-aaral. Nang marinig ko na ang kabuuang plano ng DepEd patungkol sa K to 12, lalong tumatag ang paniniwala ko na malaki ang maitutulong nito tungo

sa magandang kinabukasan ng ating mga mag-aaral,” said Peachie Flaviano.

One of the primary objectives of the K to 12 program is the decongestion of the curriculum. Under the program, specializations in students’ areas of interest. Aside from academics, schools will also offer skills development in technical and vocational education, sports and arts, and entrepreneurship.

A student who completes K to 12 is expected to be equipped with competencies and a certificate equivalent to a two-year college course.

Go! Education also supports preschool as an important foundation of basic education. Under Republic Act No. 10157, known as the Universal Kindergarten Act, kindergarten is required before admission to Grade 1. Kindergarten will also be offered in Madrasah schools under the Madrasah Education Program for Muslim students.

In addition, DepEd is introducing the MTB-MLE in elementary classes starting this school year using 12 local languages - Tagalog, Iloko, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Maguindanaon, Maranaon, Tausog and Chavacano. A child who understands the language he uses at home and in school tends to learn better, faster and are able to better develop their critical thinking.

GO! Education offers a “ray of hope” in the government’s attempt to address the recurrent problems in the educational system. It will also ensure that Filipino learners are at par with the rest of the world because they are equipped with 21st century skills.

DepEd has to work earnestly and in full throttle with its private sector partners because this is one sure way to make a go of Go! Education!

Let’s hear from our readers We are doubly happy that we received again copies of EducNews.

We are informed of the best practices of our counterparts nationwide. We can benchmark our own activities towards the goals of education.

-ADELA C. BIADO Principal Sanchez Mira Elementary School Sanchez Mira, Cagayan The articles are very inspiring and informative.

-EDITA M. BALLESTEROS Region IV-B (MIMAROPA) The magazine is very informative and updated. Issues provided can be utilized as additional inputs to schooling and learning process.

-IMELDA T. ELMAR Division of Bayawan City Negros Oriental Keep updated with the programs, projects and activities undertaken by the department.

-Division of Marinduque The editorial and banner stories are very timely since Palaro has just ended. Stressing the importance of the “lessons” and values learned in the Palaro makes it evident that indeed sports is a part of learning.

The update on the Senior High School gives insight to educators and parents as to what to expect in that level.

Featuring ADM makes clear what the program is all about.

The special feature shows how we give importance to people with outstanding contribution to education and whose life is dedicated to it.

It is also nice to note that in every issue, a page is devoted to our Filipino language.

-JULIET P. QUEZON Education Program Supervisor I Division of Silay City

August 2012

educNEWS │ 11

Mother nature smiles: a billion trees shall bloom

by Florelyn Morada

“L

et’s plant a billion trees,” President Benigno Aquino III called on all Filipinos during the launch of the National Greening Program (NGP) to address environmental issues that include pollution and threat of green house gases.

The P-Noy One Billion Trees project is a component of the NGP which aims to plant 1.5 billion trees to some 1.5 million hectares in the county within six years from 2011 to 2016. Fifty percent of the trees will be for the country’s forests, while the other fifty percent will be for production zones for fruit-bearing plants and trees.

The planting of trees is an effective strategy to fight global warming.

Global warming has generated the unpredictable weather condition 12 │

educNEWS

worldwide manifested in the El Niño and La Niña phenomena, natural disasters like typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, floods and landslides, among others, causing untold damage to lives and properties.

Aquino issued Executive Order No. 23 series of 2011 entitled “Declaring a Moratorium on the Cutting of Trees and Harvesting of Timber in the Natural and Residual Forests and Creating the Anti-illegal Logging Task Force” and Executive Order No. 26, series of 2011 entitled “Declaring the Implementation of a National Greening Program” as a government priority.

In Executive Order No. 26, Aquino mandated the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources to develop the NGP in cooperation with DepEd, Commission on Higher Education, Department of Social Welfare and

Development, Department of Budget and Management, the private sector and other concerned agencies.

The NGP shall plant 1.5 billion trees in public domains that include forestlands, mangroves and protected areas, ancestral domains, civil and military reservations, urban areas under the greening plan of local government units, inactive and abandoned mine sites, and other suitable lands.

At full speed EO 26 provided that DepEd and CHED will mobilize all students and all government employees to individually plant a minimum of ten seedlings per year in areas determined by the Convergence Initiative. Private sectors and civil society groups shall likewise be encouraged to participate in the NGP. August 2012

the looking glass DepEd and CHED shall also be responsible for student mobilization; nursery establishment, seedling production and tree planting; information, education and communication; provision of extension services; and monitoring and evaluation.

Secretary Luistro has directed that the tree planting activities be held on Saturdays, commencing school year 2012 to 2013.

Dr. Juan Araojo, Jr, officer-incharge, office of the assistant director of SHNC, said that grades 5, 6 and high school students will be involved in the tree planting activity. Kinder to grades 4 pupils will do the waste segregation, composting and weeding.

“The Gulayan sa Paaralan program which involves nursery establishment, seedling production and tree planting are integrated in the curriculum particularly in Technology and Livelihood Education and Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan subjects,” Araojo stressed.

Schools will strengthen the establishment of nurseries that would propagate sufficient seedlings. “The Secretary has instructed that before the end of June the schools will produce seedlings for tree planting and for the Gulayan sa Paaralan projects.”

‘Going green’ all the way Stressing the difference between the tree planting project in the past and the present initiative, Araojo said, the DepEd will focus on planting native trees which are eco-system friendly to ensure high survival rate. There are 209 kinds of native trees in the country.

“The local government units will be tapped as partners to take care of the trees after the students planted the seedlings. For upland areas, the indigenous peoples will also be tapped to maintain the trees. They shall be given incentives for their work,” Araojo added.

According to Araojo, DepEd will ensure the preparation and maintenance of seedlings. “We will closely coordinate with the DENR’s community environment and natural resources officers based in the LGUs for our monitoring efforts,” he said.

Education, information and communication for the NGP shall be integrated in the School Improvement Plan (SIP) of schools nationwide.

August 2012

Children, take your seats!

by Lawrence Cruz

I

n this years’ opening of classes, public focus is once again on the capability of the government to sit comfortably its public school students. With over 20 million of them, can DepEd find a way so that we don’t have to watch in pain as some kindergarten kids hold their classes on the floor due to lack of seats? Certainly this is a sight we can never get used to.

The good news is that DepEd has partnered with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Technical Education and Skills Development (TESDA) for the implementation of the “P-Noy Bayanihan.

Here, the DENR donates illegally cut logs and other forest products, the DepEd oversees the conversion of confiscated logs and lumber as well as legally-sourced lumber into school furniture, and TESDA establishes furniture production facilities in 10 sites nationwide where the chairs, tables, and desks will be manufactured. To date, a total of 6,596 armchairs have been donated to 10 public schools since the project’s roll-out in March 21, 2011.

One for you, one for me The first recipient of the P-Noy Bayanihan Project was Ramon Magsaysay High School in Cubao, Quezon City which got 500 new chairs. The donation enabled the school to attain a zero backlog in their school desks requirements.

Nine public schools in the CARAGA Region also got new chairs from the P-Noy Bayanihan project. They are the Butuan Central Elementary School (1,900 armchairs), the Agusan National High School (2,000), the Butuan City School of Arts and Trades (800), La Trinidad Elementary School (450), San Vicente Elementary School (350), Villa Kanangga Elementary School (260),

Libertad Elementary School (186), Ong Yiu Elementary School (100), and Kinamlutan Elementary School (50).

Principal Rey Collado of Butuan Central Elementary School (BCES) said that they have more than 2,000 usable armchairs and school desks, but these are not yet enough to serve all their pupils who attend the morning or afternoon classes. “The chairs are over 10 years old and are always sent for restorations. The 1,900 armchairs we got from the P-Noy Bayanihan project would be a big help to our school and our students,” Collado said.

Jeneava Marie Amper, a student council leader at BCES, expressed delight over their brand new armchairs. “Mas makakapagconcentrate na po kami ngayon sa mga lessons namin kasi sigurado nang may mauupuan kami habang nagkaklase.

Maraming salamat po at napili ang school namin na mabigyan ng mga bagong armchairs ng P-Noy Bayanihan project,” Amper cheerfully noted.

PAGCOR provided an initial P100 million to fund the project. “This P100 million is just an initial funding and we are discussing with Secretary Armin the other areas in education where we could be of assistance,” PAGCOR Chairman Cristino Naguit said.

When Agusan National High School Principal Peter Esterioso, was asked for comments, he said, “With the 2,000 armchairs that we received under the P-Noy Bayanihan project, students no longer have to endure sitting on wooden benches for hours.”

TESDA Secretary General Joel Villanueva said that around 15,000 chairs are still due for delivery to other schools. “Sa April 2012, depende sa delivery ng logs ng DENR, sinisiguro po namin na zero backlog na ang buong CARAGA Region pagdating sa armchairs,” he vowed. TESDA is presently looking at other provinces that have needs for additional armchairs like Isabela and Quezon.

According to Br. Armin, the education department purchases about P1 billion worth of armchairs, desks and tables annually.

educNEWS │ 13

feature something to look ...from page 5

Some of the activities lined up for celebration is the Quiz V.I., Braille Reading Contest, Braille Essay Writing Contest, Extemporaneous Speech and a Computer Contest on white cane celebration. These events are led by the department and the NGOs that support the blind.

“Ang Parents Advocate for Visually Impaired Children (PAVIC), Resources for the Blind Inc. (RBI),Visually Impaired’s Brotherhood for Excellent Services (VIBES), My Refuge, and Visionaries ang ilan sa mga nongovernment organizations at civic organizations na nagbibigay suporta sa mga visually impaired students natin para lalong maging matagumpay ang ating mga activities ngayong Sight Saving Month,” said Rebecca Arabain, Application Production Supervisor at the Philippine Printing House for the Blind (PPHB) in DepEd. Brother Armin stressed that other government organizations, nongovernment organizations and civic organizations may be tapped for assistance. The Secretary mentioned that SM Management, a strong advocate of Special Education (SPED), has offered its malls as venue for the celebration.

“In support of August as the SightSaving Month, adults should have their eyes tested to keep their prescriptions current and to check for early signs of eye disease. Children must also be made to undergo regular eye exams to ensure normal vision development,” says Dr. Benjamin Cabrera, an opthalmologist.

He adds that people should not skip eye checkups just because they practice what they falsely think are habits for good eyesight, such as reading in welllit interiors, reducing computer usage, sitting far from TV screens or even eating carrots.

“These practices are myths because they don’t improve vision in any way, and they don’t prevent poor eyesight from developing,” he says. “We only have one pair of eyes, and the best way to care for them is to monitor their health through regular eye checkups,” says Dr. Cabrera.

14 │

educNEWS

Yakap at Halik ni Inang Nasasabik Ni: Jimboy Napoles Angono Pilot School for the Arts

Bansang Pilipinas aking pasanpasan Binihisan ko ito ng letra’t, panitikan Binuksan ang bibig saka hinainan Hineleng liriko’t aking inalagaan.

Ang bawat pangalan aki’y ibinigay Sa lahat ng Pinoy ngayo’y nabubuhay Hiling ko lang sana ay huwag ipamigay Regalo ‘y di dapat alisan ng saysay.

Ang wikang pambansa kung ako’y tawagin Dito sa ating malawak na lupain Maging sa sakahan na maraming pananim Doon man sa siyudad, kahit sa bukirin.

Panganganak ng salita’y di kayang pilitin Atin nang hayaan at huwag patalsikin Ako’y natutuwa sa kanilang gawain Pagkat aking lengguwahe sa sining gagamitin.

Maka-ilang palit man ng salinlahi Wikang Filipino ay mananatili Mula nakatataas hanggang sa naaapi Sa puso’t, isipan ng nakararami.

Kahit hindi ako nakapagsasalita Ako man kailanma’y di ninyo nakita Kayo’y sinamahan mula pagkabata Di ako aalis hanggang sa tumanda.

Salamat sa pag-alala nitong aking buwan Pagsasama nati’y nakaukit magpakailanman

Gamitin nyo sa mabuti binigay kong kaalaman Kayumangging wika’y huwag n’yong papalitan.

Nais ko’y yakapin kayo nang mahigpit Kahit sumandali, kahit isang saglit Sa paraang ito’y aking maihatid Pag-ibig sa wika sana ay mabatid.

At dito sa ating lumalagong mundo Ay mananatili ang inyong prinsipyo Maging matatag itong ating puso Sa pagbaklas nitong problemang napako.

Alalahanin n’yong ito’y isang hamon Gaya rin ng mga nagdaaang kahapon Ako’y naririto at di maglalaon Isasabuhay mo sa habang panahon.

Tungkol sa tulang “Yakap at Halik ni Inang Nasasabik” Sinasalamin ng tulang ito ang pasasalamat ng ating wika sa pangangalaga at sa pagsasabuhay sa kaniya. Larawan ito na nanatili sa atin ang pagkamakabayan at pagmamahal sa ating wikang pambansa, sa kabila ng pagsabay natin sa makabagong teknolohiya at modernong panahon. Layunin nitong ipabatid na patuloy nating pangalagaan ang lengguwahe na ating ginagamit, na sa kahit ilang henerasyon pa ang magdaan nananalaytay pa rin sa atin ang dugong Pilipino at lahing kayumanggi.

August 2012

pluma ng diwa

Aking Hinaing Ni: Nestleen Flores Angono Pilot School for the Arts

Ako ba’y may malalim pang halaga?

Ang pag-ibig ba sa akin ay naririyan pa?

Unti-unti na akong nawawalan ng pag-asa Na sa iyong puso ako’y malalim pa.

Sino nga ba ako para magreklamo?

Isang hamak na wika na binibigkas mo.

Wala ka bang pakialam sa nadarama ko Puso ko ay puno ng pagsusumamo.

Sa paglipas ng panahon ako’y natabunan

July 2012 August 2012

Pagyakap ng modernisasyon, ako’y naapektuhan Filipino’y nahaluan ng salitang dayuhan Mga kabataan ay lubos na nahawaan.

Aking wika ang kaluluwa ng bansa Ngunit ako sa bansa mo’y tila nawawala Sa araw kong ito sana’y maalala Aking naiambag at mga nagawa.

Isa lang ang sa ‘yo ay hinihiling ko Ako ang ‘yung wika ay alagaan mo.

Padaluyin ako sa bawat puso n’yo Upang ako sayo ay hindi maglaho.

Tungkol sa tulang “Aking Hinaing” Kung nakakapagsalita lang ang ating wika, malamang ay nabingi na tayo sa mga samu’t-saring hinaing nito. Tulang nag-aasam na gisingin ang bawat Pilipino sa mga pagwawalang-bahala sa ating wika.

Isinisigaw nito ang nararamdaman ng wika sa kasalukuyang panahon ngayon.

Wika ang kaluluwa ng isang bansa ito ang pagkakakilanlan natin.

Sinasalamin nito ang ating pagiging makabayan. Kaya’t kung isa ka sa mga lumalapastangan sa Wikang Filipino, idilat mo na ang iyong mga mata, baka isang araw wala na tayong sariling wika na ating ipinagmamalaki.

educNEWS │ 15

Schedule of Go! Education exhibits and mall tours

SM Davao - August 25-26 SM Cebu - September 22-23 SM Manila - October 6-7 SM Bacoor - November 3-4 SM Pampanga - November 17-18