Pilipinas ….San Ka Patungo?

Ilan na nga ba sa atin ang nangarap ng isang magandang kinabukasan dito sa ating bansa? Isang bansa kung saan tayo ay may kalayaan, masagana, masaya at payapa.

Kung ating susuriin ang mga kaganapan sa ating paligid at sa buong mundo maaaring masabi natin na hindi lamang tayo ang nakararanas ng ganito bagkus mapalad pa tayo sapagkat sanay na tayo sa ganitong kalagayan at kaya nating lagpasan ang lahat ng ito. Subalit pilit ko pa ring hinahanapan ng kasagutan ang ilang katanungang maaring magpabago sa tinatahak nating landas.

Pilipinas san ka patungo kung ang mga namumuno sa ating bayan ay mga lider na nagmula din sa angkan ng mga pulitiko na patuloy na nagsasamantala para sa pansariling interes at hindi sa kapakanan ng bayan?;

Pilipinas san ka patungo kung ang mga musmos ay wala ng kakayahang mangarap at sa halip ay mamuhay na lamang ng mahirap na kanilang nakagisnan sa kanilang paglaki?;

Pilipinas san ka patungo kung ang mga kabataang nagsipagtapos ng pag-aaral ay naghahangad na makipagsapalaran sa ibang bansa upang maghanap ng kaginhawaan sa halip na manatili at linangin ang kanilang karunungang natamo upang maglingkod sa bayan?;

Pilipinas san ka patungo kung ang mga kabataan ay naghahanap ng personalidad na kanilang dapat tularan kaysa umukit ng kanilang sariling pagkakakilanlan?;

Pilipinas san ka patungo kung ang mga propesyunal gaya ng doctor, nars, inhenyero, siyentipiko, guro at iba pa ay mas piniling paglingkuran at pagyamanin ang ibang bansa imbes na tumulong sa pagpapaunlad ng Inang bayan?;

Pilipinas san ka patungo kung ang mga mamamayan na dapat sana’y magkaisa at magsumikap upang ika’y umunlad ay manatiling umaasa ng kaginhawaan sa mga kinauukulan?;

Pilipinas san ka patungo kung ang bawat isa ay walang pakialam at hindi isinasaalang-alang ang kapakanan ng iba sa kanilang mga gawi na maaaring magdulot ng kapahamakan sa nakararami?;

Pilipinas san ka patungo kung ang pamilya na syang pundasyon ng isang bansa ay patuloy na mawawasak bunga ng hindi pagkakaunawaan dahil sa kawalan ng panahon at komunikasyon ang bawat isa?

Marahil ang kasagutan ay nasa bawat isa. Ang pamilya na s’yang may mahalagang papel sa paghubog ng bawat miyembro nito ang dapat bigyan ng pansin at suriin kung nagampanan nga nito ang responsibilidad na kaakibat sa pagbuo nito. Kung ang bawat pamilya at mga kasapi nito ay kikilos ng naaayon sa tama at wasto maaaring bukas makikita natin ang mga pagbabagong ating minimithi. Pilipinas isang bansang payapa, maunlad at masagana.

A Decade of Teaching …....A meeting of Great Minds

October 2008 marks my 10^th year as a full-time Instructor. I didn’t expect that I would be able to lasts this long as a teacher.

I remember, after our graduation from high school, our mother would try to persuade me and my siblings to have a degree in education. She always told us that there is always a guaranteed job in teaching wherever you go. But I thought it was just because she wanted to be a teacher so she wants us to become one. But my sisters and I had a different choice. I pursued a degree in Computer Engineering, my elder sister in Political Science and my youngest sister in Business Management. As it turned out ironically we all ended up in a teaching profession.

After my graduation in college, I worked as a programmer for a year in Makati. Due to circumstances I applied for a teaching career in ICCT Colleges as a part time instructor in 1997. After a year, I applied in PUP as a part time instructor and in ICCT as a full time instructor.

During the span of 10 years, I met a lot of people in ICCT Colleges, PUP, STI, Informatics and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina. These colleagues in one way or another have a great impact in my life – behavior, out-look in life, personality, decision-making, and character. Working and learning with this remarkable people is truly an honor and a privileged. Sharing their teaching experiences, strategies and methodologies, and sometimes lecture notes without me asking from them is a sign of their passion and dedication in their profession. Giving me advises in both professional and personal matters have helped me in what I have achieved today. I do learn a lot from them. So it’s hard to leave an institution when an opportunity knocks because of these people that I will leave behind. But I guess each of us has its own path to travel-- whether it is in line with our degree, or what we want, by chance, or by just going with the flow (what’s “in”). The bottom line is work hard and work SMART. Having any kind of job requires a commitment and fulfillment. Committed in giving your best and at the same time being happy in what you are doing.

I met almost a thousand students in my 10 years of teaching; I projected an image of being strict and a perfectionist mentor from the point of view of my students. I just wanted to emphasized to them that learning is not merely a game but it’s a discipline of which one must be able to practice. I also wanted to be remembered by my students as a serious teacher and a passing grade in my subject is not just that easy rather than be a teacher who is ready to give you a special project to passed. But because of that incident (during the first meeting of the class at the start of the trimester, one of my student fell out from her chair after seeing me enter the room and I can see from her face the shocked and terror), I realized that I must listen to some of the comments of my closest students that I should be lenient and considerate sometimes. In as much as they “co-students” wanted to cope up and meet the deadlines of the projects and other works I gave to them, there are some things or events that would cause a delay and results to failure in complying with the deadline. I do learn and understand the students now, because of my students who are working or even older than me, in some instances. They are the ones who are not afraid to tell me in private about their opinions and even during class discussion. I thank them for their views and words of enlightenment.

Truly 10 years of working in the academe have showered me with a lot of blessings. Meeting these people has given me a treasure that can last for a lifetime. I’m looking forward of what are the things to come in the years ahead.

Here are some of them:

ICCT - VP Liza, VP Paringit, Doc Ventinilla, Portia, Jessie, Aileen, Laurice, Nemie, Fredericka, Marthy, Alfred, Tina, Ma. Theresa “Tikya”, Fortune, Monet, Manny, Jojo, Arlan, Michael, Ariel, Bong, Sarah, Sir Defeo, Shyne, “Gov.” Selda, CD, Imee, Rex, Joseph, Jadaone, Acoba, Jilmer, Rafael, Nova, Mam Perez, Mam Mesa, Zapanta, Rowell, William, Molina, Verna, Cathy, Rodrigo, Mam Alviar, Jenny, Erika, Mindy.

STI – Mam Amy, Mam Gen, Mam Flor, Mam Marjorie, Sir Edwin, Sir Benito

PUP – Sir Rafael Oquindo, Mam Flor, Joan, Mam Ado, Sir Velasco, Sir Fernando, Sir Jojo, Sir Talan, Sir Nati, Sir Pangilinan, Dean Gedaria, Dean Vicky, Dean Muhi, Dean Ben Andres

Informatics – Sir Eric, Sir Bob, Sir Bott, Sir Amado, Mam Lot, Mam Ivy, Mam Shirley

PLMar – Mam Joanne, Sir Marcy,

Students – DND scholars – Bong, Sabigan, Reyes; Sherwin, Beth, Raymon, Craig, Eleonor, Catherine, Albert, Brandon, Churva people, Ate Ruby, Rhea, Beverly, Kurt, Saida, Shiela, Jerome, Crispin, Cyril, Joan, Ria, Cheng, Jecka, Aimee, Liezel, Edz, Baby Girl, JM, Eugene, Olivia, Rose Mei, Gerald, Dominic, Adonis, Flor, RJ

Back to School....... Back to Work......

Two years after having a time off from studying I found myself enrolled in a postgraduate study in TUP. Not that I was new in a school environment well in fact I am in the academe for ten years now as a full time instructor.

Last June I was a bit lost trying to look for my first class. I was embarrassed coming late because our professor is discussing all the requirements of the subject. After this, we introduced ourselves; I was in awe with the qualifications of my classmates. Having deans, directors of departments, and department heads as classmates’ gives me the feeling of accomplishment. Talking and meeting with these people is a wonderful experience. Here we are just the same - a student.

Most of the requirements though are reports, case study and research. I guess, it will not be an easy task having to teach in 3 different schools from Monday – Friday and studying for the whole Saturday, time management must be observed for me to be able to achieve my goal. Being a student in a postgraduate degree means a lot of work.

Sa Paglingon sa nakaraan

Ilang taon na rin ang nakalilipas subalit parang kahapon lamang ang mga pangyayaring naganap sa aking buhay. Mga bagay na sumasagi sa aking isipan tuwing babalikan ko ang nakaraan. Isang ala-alang kaysarap gunitain – ang aking buhay.

Sa isang maingay na pook sa Otis Metro Manila ako sumilay ng liwanag. Noong ika-25 ng Enero 1974, isang malusog na sanggol na lalaki, ng dalawang kaluluwang pinagbuklod ng pag-ibig ang isinilang. Pangalawa sa tatlong magkakapatid, iminulat kami ng aming mga magulang sa isang maayos at payak na pamumuhay. Pinalaki ng busog sa mga pangaral at pagmamahal, ipinaunawa sa amin ang pagtitipid at tiyaga upang mabuhay,

Kay ina ko natutuhan ang pagbasa at pagsulat sa murang edad. Bagamat hindi nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral sa sekondarya, matiyaga kaming sinubaybayan ng aming ina bilang aming unang guro. Sa kanya ko rin natutuhan ang mga bagay na dapat isaalang alang ng isang mananampalataya gaya ng pagdarasal at pamumuhay ng naaayon sa kagustuhan Niya.

Nagsimula ako ng aking pag-aaral sa Mababang Paaralan ng Bagong Nayon I sa Antipolo, Rizal. Bilang isang sundalo, ang aming ama, ay madalas wala sa aming piling. Subalit hindi naging daan iyon upang hindi kami lumaking maayos. Ang aming ina ang naging tagasubaybay naming. Madalas ang panonood ng telebisyon ay maaari lamang tuwing araw ng Biyernes at Sabado. Sa gabi matiyagang inaalam ng aming ina kung natapos at nasagutan namin ng tama ang aming mga aralin. Ipinamulat sa amin ng aming mga magulang ang kahalagahan ng edukasyon upang mapabuti ang aming kalagayan sa buhay. Bilang bunga ng kanyang paghihirap nakatapos ako ng elementarya at nagkamit ng unang karangalan gaya ng aking nakatatandang kapatid na babae samantalang ang aming bunso ay ikatlong karangalan.

Sa Joseph Marello Academy ako nag-aral ng sekondarya. Dahil sa kagustuhan ng aming mga magulang na makapagtapos kami ng pag-aaral tumanggap ng labada ang aming ina upang makatulong kay ama. Dahil sa mga pangyayaring ito ay nagsikap kaming magkakapatid sa aming pag-aaral. Nakapagtapos ako ng sekondarya bilang valedictorian ng aming klase.

Kumuha ako ng kursong Computer Engineering sa Polytechnic University of the Philippines taong 1991. Dito marami akong nakilalang kaibigan na naging kasama ko sa lahat ng mga bagay sa aking buhay kolehiyo. Madalas kailangang magtipid upang may panggastos sa mga proyekto at pambili ng libro. Hindi pumayag ang aming mga magulang na kami ay maging working student. Palagi nilang sinasabi na mag-aral kaming mabuti upang makapagtapos. Kapag bakasyon naghahanap ako ng mga mag-aaral upang itutor o kaya naman ay bilang tagabantay ng shop na malapit sa aming bahay habang ang aking ate ay sales lady o tutor din. Matagumpay kaming magkakapatid nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral sa PUP. Labis ang kasiyahan ng aming mga magulang sa araw ng aming pagtatapos. Nakita rin nila ang katuparan ng kanilang pangarap na kami ay mapagtapos ng pag-aaral.

Ilang sandali pa ay naulinigan ko ang tunog ng bell, hudyat bilang pagsisimula ng klase. Tumayo ako upang ihanda ang mga gagamitin ko sa aking pagtuturo sa aking pagtuturo. Habang binabagtas ko ang daan patungo sa aking silid-aralan hindi ko pa ring mapigilang magpasalamat sa Panginoon at muling sariwain ang nakaraan.