Glimpses: What is Filipino-American?

By: Jose Ma. Montelibano
Opinion.Inquirer.Net 9:15 pm | Thursday, June 16th, 201

Visiting America regularly in the last four years to help promote the Gawad Kalinga movement has made me understand more deeply the life of most Filipino-Americans. I had many assumptions that have dramatically changed, and a few that have been affirmed even more so. My first visits to the United States just over forty years ago were business-driven and ended in 1986 after the historic speech of Corazon Aquino before the US Congress. It took twenty years before I visited again, and I have been in a special journey of rediscovering Filipinos who have become Americans ever since.

There was a census taken last year, 2010, and the results are not yet out. The speculation, though, is that there must be approximately four million Filipinos in America, mostly documented and now citizens of the United States or in the process of being so. They are not Overseas Filipino Workers, they are immigrants. They are not leaving the motherland temporarily, they are leaving it forever as Filipinos to become Filipino-Americans. They are like the daughters of a family who get married and then adopt the family name of their husbands, permanently out of the home where they were born and raised.

The foreign language, the vastness of America, the lifestyle of the West and a developed economy confront new and budding Filipino-Americans and force them to make dramatic changes in their own lives and habits. Except for the few who did migrate to the United States as rich Filipinos, the rest have had to wrestle with the drastic changes of their new environment. While the trappings of an advanced economy must have dazzled the new Filipino-American, having to struggle to afford these must have rattled many of them. But as an ethnic group, after several decades and waves of migration, Filipino-Americans have arrived, have survived, and are thriving in their new country of opportunity.

Filipino-Americans are full-fledged American citizens. When introducing themselves to the world, they are Americans and accorded all the rights and privileges of American citizens. When they need identification and travel documents, they go to American agencies; abroad, they go to American embassies. They may look brown, but they are Americans.

There is actually no need to call themselves Filipino-Americans because they are Americans and not Filipinos. Even though they are of Filipino descent, they cannot identify themselves as Filipino citizens, only as American citizens. The rest is true of other American citizens as well, no matter what motherland they may have come from. They are all immigrants from somewhere (except the American Indians), mostly Europe a few centuries ago, and now from all over the rest of the world. They are Americans now, not British, not French, not Italians, not Germans, not Africans, not Polish, not Israelis, not Spanish, not Portuguese, not Mexican, not Vietnamese, not Chinese, not Filipinos.

Moving across America, especially when I do so overland and driving for days making stops whenever the tired body needs to, I interact with many Americans from the gas stations to the groceries to the shops and restaurants. Most of them identify themselves as Americans, of course. Very few quickly say, I am “Afro-American, German-American, etc.” even though physical attributes may strongly indicate their original countries or regions. And, rightly so because they are Americans.

This is a reality I have had to struggle with in my mind and in my heart, to accept that Filipinos are now Americans – as much as that white person whose ancestors came from Europe, as much as that black person whose ancestors came from Africa, as much as all the rest whose ancestors came from some part of the globe. I did not realize until so much later that I had assumptions that were not necessarily false, but definitely not true anymore. I believe that many Filipinos in the motherland have similar assumptions as the ones I had, and one day will have to learn the same lessons as I do today.

What makes it difficult to realize that Filipinos in America are now Americans and not Filipinos is the fact that they keep identifying themselves as Filipinos by using the word “Filipino” in the term “Filipino-American.” By holding on to the word “Filipino”, Filipino-Americans are regarded as more Filipino than American by Filipinos in the Philippines. Much more so by their own families or relatives. There may be some who more quickly say, “I am not Filipino, I am American,” but these  do not yet reflect the mainstream sentiments and articulation of Filipinos who are now Americans.

The term “Filipino-American” used to identify Filipinos who are now American citizens serve to keep deep bonds alive. No matter how substantial the changes have been in their lives, most Filipino-Americans retain traits that identify them as Filipinos, including language or regional dialect. These bonds make it difficult for many of us to realize the major shift of citizenship, of required obligations attached to that citizenship, of global identity.

Since the use of the term “Filipino-American” is one by choice of those as only the term “American” is required by law, it might be time for Filipino-Americans to reflect on the reasons why they choose to identify themselves as such. By holding on to the word “Filipino”, Filipino-Americans must realize that there are implications when doing so. The word “Filipino” is a term that is alive, representing a race and a motherland. If there is no strong attachment to one’s race and one’s motherland, there is no reason or benefit to continue identifying oneself as “Filipino” when one is already an American.

The context of choice is that it has implications, and these implications affect the lives of those who make choices and many others. By calling themselves “Filipino-Americans”, Filipinos who are now Americans involve make a choice that keep them attached to the Filipino race and the Filipino motherland.

(Below is the second part where the author discusses about the choice, the attachment, and the implications they have on all who care about being Filipino.)

Glimpses

What Is The Filipino-American? (Part II)

By: Jose Ma. Montelibano
Opinion.Inquirer.Net 7:08 am | Friday, June 24th, 2011 

The term “Filipino” is the family name of Filipinos who reside in the Philippines as native sons and daughters of a race belonging to the motherland known as the Philippines. It is the father’s family name for Filipino citizens, and it serves as the mother’s family name for Filipino-Americans who continue to call themselves “Filipino-Americans.”

The dimension of Filipinos as a race or a national family is not appreciated nearly enough. The fact that our ancestors had not reached nationhood before colonial powers took control of the motherland and dominated even the way Filipinos lived explains why the sense of nationhood is weak. The assumption of race as a national family is more biological than a lived reality; the sense of the collective, of the whole, has yet to become part of the Filipino psyche.

The sense of a personal family, however, is deep and, in fact, dominates the Filipino lifestyle. For one’s family, a Filipino can go more than the extra mile, can live a life of sacrifice. The Filipino is strongly anchored on the family, and reversely so, very weakly grounded on a sense of nation. In the United States, the income of the Filipino family is second only to another ethnic group and higher than mainstream American families. This is a reflection of how a Filipino family working together can achieve from a secure foundation. And a remittance level of $8 billion from Filipino-Americans to their families in the Philippines these last two years is an outstanding measure of that sense of family.

Locked to personal family ties, Filipinos have had serious difficulty in expanding the sense of a personal family to a sense of a national or global family. A true nation does not exist because personal family boundaries cannot be transcended, or pushed further out to accommodate neighborhoods, communities and the whole motherland. This underdevelopment of a priority to the common good keeps Filipinos divided, divisive, and vulnerable to the machinations of their own leaders or the government of other countries.

Filipinos who left the Philippines to migrate to America did not leave their weaknesses behind, only an environment where opportunities could not match the natural wealth of the motherland. Many in leadership positions among Filipino-Americans mirror the qualities of leadership in the Philippines, if not in the tendency to exploit, then in the tendency to put personal interests, including pride, ahead of the common good. Then, the ordinary mass of Filipinos, both in the Philippines and in the United States, remain servile, subservient, submissive, and in avoidance of participation in community affairs. Most are also very tired and have no motivation to exchange a weekend of rest to watching Filipino-American associations, or their leaders, compete and put down one another.

In the last four years of going back and forth the Philippines and America, I have yet to read or hear a comprehensive perspective of the Filipino-American. Almost ten years ago, I stumbled on a market research survey about the cost-of-living of Filipino-Americans, estimated at $50 billion annually. It could be more than $60 billion today. Aside from a remittance to the Philippines of $8 billion, the average per capita GDP of Americans is $47,000 – and I am assuming that it is the same, or higher, for Filipino-Americans. If so, Filipino-Americans may be earning an estimated $$114 billion annually assuming there are three million Filipino-Americans today (I suspect more).

In early 2008, I was privy to survey results done in San Diego County which estimated that only 5% maximum of Filipino-Americans participate in community affairs. In several other places I have been to in the United States, estimates may even be lower. Again, mirroring their patterned subservience which translates to passivity in the United States, Filipino-Americans are largely uninvolved, unseen, unheard and unfelt. No wonder that Wikipedia refers to Filipino-Americans as either the “invisible” or “silent” minority. Yet, the attachment and generosity to their personal families translate to an awesome $8 billion a year.
If Filipino-Americans do not know their collective strength, they are more aware of their weaknesses. So many disparaging remarks are made by Filipino-Americans themselves about, not only regarding the poverty, corruption and divisiveness of Filipinos and the Philippines, but also about negative traits and behavior of their fellow immigrants in the United States. They are the first to bash themselves and their roots. I do not think there is anyone in second place. Thank goodness that the vast majority is silent enough not to add to this public or Internet bashing against Filipinos and Filipino-Americans.

Last week, I received an unusual amount of commentaries or responses to Part One of this series. The variety of their written comments affirms the many ways that Filipino-Americans think of themselves and others like them. I was pleasantly surprised, though, that all of those who wrote me had a positive take on their being Filipino – even if some had criticisms for how others are.

I had mentioned that Filipino-Americans have choices about how they can call themselves, either as “Americans” or as “Filipino-Americans.” In the Philippines, there is no choice, of course—we are simply and only “Filipinos.” But when Filipino in America choose to call themselves “Filipino-Americans,” they invoke the family name of their race and motherland. Without that live connection to blood and land, the term “Filipino” for Filipino-Americans has no real meaning.

Those who refer to themselves as Filipino-Americans are saying, “I belong to the Filipino race, and the Philippines is the land of my ancestors.” Immediately, non-Filipinos who hear this think of the Filipino people aside from just the individual Filipino-American speaking. Together with this is the assigning to the family name all that is positive and negative about the Filipino. Filipino-Americans, therefore, cannot escape being seen or judged as a people. Their own personal status is affected by the reputation or the imagery of the family name, for good or for bad.

There are many attributes of Filipinos that are beautiful and noble. Sadly, though, it is collective poverty and endemic corruption that dominate in the definition of the Filipino and the Philippines. Is this imagery one that Filipino-Americans have to live with? Or is there a way to reverse history?

An open society's pitfalls

FROM A DISTANCE By Carmen N. Pedrosa (The Philippine Star) Updated June 26, 2011 12:00 AM

Recently I had a long conversation with a friend who was worried that leftist groups were encircling the bureaucracy and it went all the way up to the President’s office. He is worried that if this situation continues in the battle for people’s minds, democratic space may be getting narrower and narrower.

I would not worry if to be ‘leftist’ means to promote a broad range of pro-people issues that are not being properly addressed in our oligarchic society. If they were to stick to fighting for pro-people issues we should welcome and support them if that was the aim. After all, the original intent of the political decision to legitimizing former Communist sympathizers was precisely to bring them into the political arena as it is in other democratic countries, particularly in Europe. The Communist Party is considered as a legal political party. Unfortunately democracy in the Philippines is especially prone to its pitfalls.

Former Communists have banded together as party list members in Congress without shedding their objective of taking over government. The Communist Party of the Philippines is sworn to armed revolution. In effect then, some party list members would be working for the Communist Party while projecting themselves as reformists. The problem is that as members of Congress they now have access to funds through their pork barrel that are said to end up for the cause of armed revolution. Moreover they have used their political clout in Congress to reject reforms within a democratic framework. That means that in the political rivalry with centrist or right wing groups, they have an advantage. They form broad coalitions at the same time that they keep their connection with the armed Communist Party/NPA.

For example, Bayan Muna’s party list members voted against constitutional reforms, a centrist advocacy during the committee hearings in the 14th Congress. It shows how easily one can get lost in the tangle of political issues that are often seen as merely a contest between the government and opposition.

*      *      *

Collusion between party list legislators and the Communist Party/NPA has to be watched carefully. It would be wrong to ignore signs that point to the unfolding strategy for a communist take-over.  

There are stories of how various government agencies have been infiltrated. But perhaps the most risky is how they have successfully entered the inner sanctum of a president that can be made subservient to their aims. He adds that part of the confusion comes from conspiracy with rightist groups. It may be true that there are corrupt military but it is another matter if a strategy is pushed towards discrediting the AFP and demoralizing the ranks. While it is true that our justice system is in dire need for reforms, it is another thing to destroy the credibility of the justice system. There have also been instances when different branches of government are pit against each other.

*      *      *

The postponement of ARMM elections is a good example of how the strategy is working. The postponement was allegedly advised by former Akbayan party president Ronald Llamas. He sits in Malacanang as the President’s political adviser.

We could argue about the rightness or wrongness of postponing the elections. But we need to know what the motive was for the postponement coming as it does from Llamas? Is this part of a wider scheme? 

Political watchers suggest that he could have his own political agenda. The postponement would give him a free hand to choose OICs that could eventually become a strong political base. Speaking of the freedom of information act how are we to get at this kind of information that is as important as corruption? The motive of groups or persons allied with underground political movements like the CPP-NDF-NPA is something we need to know to enable us to make correct political judgments.

*      *      *

My worried friend said he does not believe Bayan Muna’s denials that it is a legal front for the Communist Party/NPA. There was documentary proof found during a military raid on an NPA lair in Quezon that the communist rebels have formed a new above the ground political party and they raised P1 billion for national and local candidates in the May 2010 elections.

The expenditures listed in one document included P14 million for machinery buildup, P385 million for the election campaign, P50 million each for its senatorial candidates, P1 million for alliances and linkages with other political parties, and P600 million for a nationwide poll watch during the actual conduct of last year’s elections.

But if oligarchs raise political funds for their candidates why shouldn’t they do the same? That is the problem. They are simply mimicking the abuses of rightwing military and civic society. The sources of funds of the Left are said to come from monthly revolutionary tax collection by the NPA and extortion activities from mining, transportation and communication companies. The electorate has the right to know what they are voting for.

More troubling are documents that the Central Committee of the CPP-NPA-NDF were expecting funds from politicians whom they would support in the elections among them a lady politician who at that time was vying to be a presidential candidate.

Filipinos are concerned that whatever the political color of candidates they must know who and why they are voting for. This is harder to detect when the strategy is to subvert democratic institutions. There is nothing wrong if they want to dialogue with mainstream politicians but we need to know if these are for genuine reforms and not in pursuit of a communist take-over of democratic institutions through stealth and chicanery.

The key is information, the same kind of information that they demand from corrupt above ground politicians. We have to know the connections between the certain party list groups and the CPP-NPA-NDF. At the moment we do not know. We can only guess at their machinations at the same time that they block reforms coming from ordinary concerned citizens.

From the same stack of documents it also said that they would increase party membership to at least 250,000 in the next five years and accumulate 25,000 rifles in order to reach the stage of a strategic stalemate.

Anxious watchers of negotiations between the CPP and the Philippine government are not confident that the peace talks are serious. If the CPP remains committed to overthrowing the Philippine state, then a political settlement is impossible.

Dealing With Procrastination Among Students

Based on the article originally entitled Rx for procrastination
By Queena N. Lee-Chua
Philippine Daily Inquirer
6:05 pm, Sunday June 12, 2011 

MANILA, Philippines – AS A TEACHER for more than 20 years now, I believe that the most common problem of students is not bullying, cheating or drug abuse. Those three are insidious, but procrastination may be the most prevalent. Procrastination has been in the Oxford English Dictionary since the mid-1500s.

Procrastination is so widespread in schools that the novelist Eliyahu Goldratt dubbed it “student syndrome” in his book “Critical Chain.” Students who suffer from this syndrome delay doing a task until right before deadline. They work on a paper just before it is due and, for lack of time, often resort to cutting and pasting passages from other sources, without proper attribution. They cut classes to print out their papers and, when something goes awry, blame the printer, the ink cartridge, even the dog.

Cramming

Cramming is classic procrastination. A student we will call Ana failed a major test. She cried, “But I studied, I really did!” Yes, she did but this is how Ana and her friends tackled four chapters of more than a hundred pages. They listened to the lectures but did not take notes.

Thinking they understood the lessons, they did not open the textbook for a month. At 7 p.m. before the exam, they held a group study at Ana’s house.
“We did not sleep at all,” Ana wailed. “We studied for 12 hours straight, up to 7 a.m. the next morning.” They were shocked that they failed. I was shocked that they expected to ace the test given their poor study habits.

During the test, Ana said she remembered reading the terms the night before, but forgot the links between ideas. Human short-term memory can easily recall seven items, more or less. Tests cover more than seven things.  Ana and her friends tried to force hundreds of ideas into their minds in a short time. They did not succeed. Nobody could.

For long tests, cramming does not work. Unless humans become robots with infinite memory and speedy processing, cramming never will.

What did Ana do to redeem herself? Under my strict guidance, she read her textbook every single day, a few pages at a time. She took notes and asked questions in class. A couple of days before the next exam, she reviewed the main ideas.

She did not have a group study session this time, because “we wasted time chatting about other things.” Instead of being panicky and stressed out, she was calm during the test. Not surprisingly, she got a well-deserved A.

Causes

What makes students procrastinate? Causes vary from anxiety, low self-esteem and depression to poor impulse control, self-defeating mentality, and even a defective prefrontal cortex.
But the most likely reason is most students overestimate their abilities to meet deadlines, and underestimate the time needed for reflection and understanding.

Ideally, students should be able to pace themselves, and not cram. But when I tell my students not to procrastinate, they only smile guiltily. Thus, I have decided to save my students from themselves, as much as possible.

I usually give them a timeline, asking them to submit smaller tasks at regular intervals, instead of one big chunk at once. For a term paper due at the end of a semester, I ask them to submit an outline by the end of June, a review of literature by July, a first draft by August, a second draft by September, and the final copy by October. I make suggestions and revisions, and expect each succeeding submission to be better than the last.

Some students are perfectionists. They will not continue a task unless they feel that everything is going fine (an impossibility in the academe and, I daresay, in the real world).

I once had a student who could not write beyond the first paragraph. He agonized over every single word and punctuation mark, so much so he could not write anything at all because “nothing was good enough.” I counseled him to relax, “just do it!” and to revise his work later.

Help

As a new school year begins, the best resolution students can make is to beat procrastination, once and for all.

Here are some tips:

Make a deal with yourself to work on a task for 15-20 minutes. Once you get started, momentum kicks in and you will usually continue the work.

Minimize distractions. Surveys by Tim Pychyl, director of the Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University in Canada, show that the worst procrastinators are those distracted by e-mail, social networking, computer games. Shut them all off, he says. You can check them after you have finished your work.

Break down huge tasks into smaller pieces. Ana did well on the test by reading the book slowly, in chunks, steadily, every day, instead of trying to finish everything in one night.

Prioritize. Most students concentrate on subjects they like, and put off doing the homework they hate. This is the exact opposite of what achievers do. Good students focus their energies and time on difficult assignments first and, afterwards, devote their remaining resources to easier tasks. Since the latter is naturally pleasurable, students will not delay doing them.

Seek advice from teachers on difficult tasks. A student we will call Pedro did not submit any requirement. He asked me later on for “extra work” to raise his final grade. He said he “did not know how to do the homework.”

Unfortunately, he never consulted at all during the semester, so I had to tell him that, if he could not do regular assignments, there was no way he could understand the extra work, as it would be a lot more complex.

Contrast Pedro’s behavior with his classmate Pepe’s. Although Pepe also found the requirements challenging, he consulted me several times. He submitted an excellent project.

To students, teachers, parents and other readers, e-mail me how you overcame procrastination, or helped others do so. I will feature the most helpful suggestions in a future column.

Have a great school year!

E-mail the author at blessbook@yahoo.com.

Transformational Teachers: The Key Players in Making Education Reforms Transform

(Material below is based on the article originally entitled,  A Chance to Make History by Queena N. Lee-Chua originally appeared at the Philippine Daily Inquirer, 7:26pm, Sunday April 24, 2011)

Why reforms in education don't transform as earlier emphasized in this blog could not only be blamed to the educational planners and implementers at the national level but more importantly at the grassroots or school level.  Not only the wait and see attitude, varying interpretations to national policies, cascading effects of information once relayed and institutional cultures but most importantly, behaviors and attitudes of teachers and school heads.

Images courtesy of google search.

Having a Transformational Teachers and School Heads is a different matter.  It surpasses resources gaps and could deliberately make great things possible in the field of education. This is a total change of attitude, a total change of heart which is a victory from being self-centered and selfish to selflessness.

Drawing from hands-on experience rather than ivory-tower theory, Wendy Kopp, a best seller book author in the US who was trained in business rather than education, boldly yet reflectively cuts through policy and debates to detail what it really takes to achieve what she calls “transformational” education.

Wendy Kopp, a 1989 graduate of Princeton University, created a teaching corps of America’s best and brightest new graduates to teach for two years in the country’s most disadvantaged schools.

Her journey is chronicled in her first book “One Day, All Children: The Unlikely Triumph of Teach for America (TFA) and What I Learned along the Way.”

Transformational teachers

After describing how TFA teachers succeed against huge odds, Kopp says, “Success is possible in classrooms in low-income communities if we redefine the role of the teacher to mean more than providing access to learning experiences.  [Successful] teachers set out to inspire their students to assume responsibility for meeting ambitious academic goals, and they commit to doing whatever it takes to ensure their students succeed—providing the academic rigor and the extra support necessary to meet their extra needs.

“Teachers who redefine their roles don’t need to wait to solve poverty before their students can fulfill their potential. They can partner with children and their families to provide an education that changes their likely path and enables them to ‘make history.’”

Successful teachers need the same skills of successful leaders in any other field.  They need to track goals, maximize efforts, change course if necessary. They need great energy, discipline and hard work.

Other significant characteristics are: “past demonstrated achievement, perseverance, the ability to influence and motivate others, critical thinking skills, organizational ability.”

Transformational schools

Successful schools have a precise vision, and work hard towards it. “[Transformational] schools aspire not to equality of inputs but rather to equality of outputs,” says Kopp. “They are aspiring not to ensure their students have access to the same books, or dollars, or hours, but rather, that they achieve the same levels of performance and learning and the same life opportunities. That means doing whatever it takes to level the playing field for their students.”

Kimmel says, “Everything starts with teacher quality. There are many factors at play, but I’m dead in the water if I don’t have great teachers. It all comes down to the two-sided coin of teacher recruitment and retention.”

The best administrators do not lord it over teachers. Chris Barbic of Yes Prep campus in Houston, Texas, which has one of the best college performance rates in the state, says he “spends most of my time thinking about how to find, and do we have, and how do we keep, and are we developing, the right people in our schools.” Good principals “search for, cajole, beg and win over teachers to join them to achieve their vision of success for their students.”  They also ensure that their best teachers stay.

“Teachers stay when they are surrounded by colleagues and a culture that value their contributions,” says Kopp. Effective administrators provide ways for teachers to have broader impact, such as becoming “master teachers who coach and guide colleagues.”

Teachers stay when they feel they can grow as instructors and as leaders, thus professional development is essential. “The first step is finding great people,” says Kimmel, “the next step is supporting them to go from good to great or from great to greater.”

The retention rate at Wheels is 90 percent, “almost unheard of in many schools in low-income communities” and, I am certain, even in schools for the privileged.

Great schools insist on a culture of excellence.  TFA alumnus Reid Whitaker, who now heads Port Houston Elementary, cites the awards his good teachers have earned, and explains why ineffective teachers left.

“If you create a culture of positive goodwill that is built on team responsibility and centered on really high expectations for students, people who are not team players leave.  I have worked hard to create a culture that attracts the right people and repels the people who should go. I’ve only fired one teacher, but a number of teachers have left because they knew they weren’t giving their all and didn’t want to be in the spotlight here. In our school, anyone who is not giving 100 percent, who is not working as a team member, who is not working so hard for their students, they stand out like a sore thumb, and that’s uncomfortable.”


Transformational systems

When TFA alumna Michelle Rhee arrived in the District of Columbia in 2008, she found “five million unfiled personnel records stacked up in storerooms” with “some teachers not being paid on time while others who had left were still receiving paychecks.”

Thousands of work orders for school maintenance were not done, and around half of the city’s schools “had not received textbooks by the start of the school year, or had received the wrong ones.” Sound familiar?

Rhee had to fix the system fast. Personnel files were updated, e-mail systems streamlined, financial records digitized, resources reallocated.  In her most controversial decision on her first year, Rhee closed down 23 schools to free up resources so that “every school could [finally] have an art teacher, a PE teacher and a nurse.” Rhee made a lot of enemies, and since the Democratic Party mayor lost the recent midterm elections, she had to resign. The good news—Kaya Henderson, her successor, is also a TFA alumna and also demands excellence.

Transformational leadership requires guts and resolve, honesty and accountability. In Kopp’s book, the chapter  on “Scaling Success” should be required reading for every public official and employee involved in education.

“A Chance to Make History” by Wendy Kopp (2011, Public Affairs) is available in National Book Store.

Rizal’s Thoughts on Education

by Mona Lisa H. Quizon
National Historical Commission of the Philippines

The writings and various events on the life of Jose Rizal are filled of ideas concerning education. He recognized the importance of education in the development of a nation and its people. Crisostomo Ibarra, the principal character of his novel Noli Me Tangere possesses a desire to establish a suitable school. Ibarra mentioned in the novel what he considered a modern school. According to him the building should be spacious and hygienic, the site should be large and provided with playground and garden. Rizal himself dreamed of founding a school in accordance with the demands of modern times and circumstances.

 According to Austin Craig, Rizal ambitioned to make education accessible to all, “the teaching instinct that led him to act as mentor to the Filipino students in Spain and made him the inspiration of a mutual improvement club of his young countrymen in London, suggested the foundation of a school in Paris. Later a Pampangan youth offered him $40,000 with which to found a Filipino college in Hong Kong, where many young men from the Philippines had obtained an education better than their own land could afford but not entirely adapted to their needs. The scheme attracted Rizal and a prospectus for such an institution which was later found among his papers not only proves how deeply he was interested, but reveals the fact that his idea of education were essentially like those carried out in the present public school course of instruction in the Philippines”.

Rizal also showed his support to the group of women in Malolos when their petition of establishing a school was denied by Gen. Weyler. He wrote a letter to the ladies in support to their courageous action. Rizal preaches the need of education and said that “ignorance is slavery”. Rizal always reminded his sisters the value and importance of education thus when Josefa and Trinidad visited Rizal in Hong Kong he encourage the two to learn the English language. Perhaps Rizal’s appreciation of education was influenced by his mother, Doña Teodora Alonzo. His mother was considered his first teacher. At the age of three he learned the alphabet and also taught him to appreciate Spanish poetry.

He even recognized the importance of industrial education as well. Rizal included this concept in the five purposes of the La Liga Filipina which he founded, the development of instruction, agriculture and commerce. 

When Jose Rizal was deported in Dapitan on 1893, he devoted his time in teaching young children.  Rizal applied the learning he acquired in the different school that he visited during his travels. It was in Dapitan particularly Talisay where Rizal used his talents and limited resources to serve his countrymen during the four years of his exile. He practiced his profession as a doctor, farmer, teacher, community developer, engineer and scientist. Rizal opened a school for young boys in the community. They were given subjects in reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, geometry, languages, history and good conduct. Rizal even gave practical lessons on the use of their hands, for he believed that education should be inculcated or integrated with the development of the community. He also taught his students different kinds of sport activities such as boxing, swinging on parallel bars and rings, swimming and arnis on account of his belief that a sound body makes a sound mind.

Rizal’s method of teaching is different compared from other schools of his time. He saw to it that learning should be adaptable to the needs or actual life of the people. Rizal is not just a conventional type of teacher; his visions were not just for himself but for the benefits of his countrymen. The effort of our present Department of Education and other learning institutions in curriculum development is in harmony with the ideas and visions of Rizal. The government is also giving its full support and prioritizes the education of Filipinos. But we should also remember that the time and needs of the learners during Rizal’s time is different to the learners of today. There might be ideas or methods which are no longer needed in the present. But still we owe him for pioneering a technique in teaching. Our educators should also follow and be motivated by the exemplar deeds of Rizal. If he were living today, he would definitely continue his undertakings in molding the minds of our youth. Just as what he had told “Ang mga kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan”.

The Value of Education as Espoused by Dr. Jose Rizal

By:  Gilbert M. Forbes
       DepEd, Quezon

Rizal is such a wise visionary to think and suggest that education is the answer to emancipate our country men from bondage.  It is for this reason that he didn’t favor revolution in his time because he should have envisioned that even when we successfully defeat the Spaniards and became independent, the system will not change, only the ones that runs it. 

Decades later, President Manuel L. Quezon during his struggle for Philippine independence from the Americans said that it’s better for the Philippines governed like hell by Filipinos themselves than by a colonial power (the US). As if he has the gift of prophecy, it happens.  We are certainly governed like hell by our country men.

And it happens because though we are considered one of the most educated in Asia, there are sorts of mis-education and lapses worsen by a considerably high functional illiteracy and illiteracy for more than a century.  (Click and see Edukasyon Bilang Daan sa Pagwawasto sa Kamalian ng Nakalipas)

At present, aside from new curriculum directions in education which seek to correct the considerably very low level of abstraction capability of the Filipinos by developing higher order thinking skills among our young generation, we are pushing for universal education by 2015.  The government is also pushing for the K+12 Program which though is earning negative reactions in some quarter will help correct errors in education that has brought about negative mindset and perspective.

Negative mindset and perspective and lack of abstraction or higher order thinking capabilities are the very reason why we have bad governance and backward economy.  Through the years, we have been exploited by our own rich and powerful fellow men because of our indolence.  Many opportunities have remained untapped just because we lack the necessary know how and skills or we tend to disregard what is important, necessary and needed because we believe other wise.

In “La Instruccion,” Rizal wrote "...Instead of novenae...and mysteries (referring to the traditional education being given by the friars then) that serve neither to foment or awaken faith nor to make one a Christian in the true meaning of the word, if it is desired to make of him not the friend of praying and murmuring words without reflecting on them or believing in them, but the man who believes, works and loves his fellowmen; instead of these textbooks, we repeat, could they not give to the child simple books on morals, on the geography and history of the Philippines and above all a good treatise on agriculture but written in the language he speaks, since the immense majority of the people are engaged in working and cultivating the soil and raising cattle, inasmuch as the country is very suitable for these?

"...This modest and almost rudimentary education would be enough to awaken in the pupils ideas of education and progress, and the people, the rulers and even religion would gain much, for thus would disappear superstition, routine, crass ignorance and certain customs which would be immoral were they not the offspring of extreme innocence and candor. There are books on true and sane morals as well as little compendiums of history and geography and treatises on agriculture adapted to the country. What does it cost to translate them and disseminate them in the public schools for those unfortunate children who cannot go to better schools in order to get a more useful education?

"Let us cease to be empirical and routinary. Let us learn to progress. Let us seek the direct good, for life is short and the mission of man is great. Let everyone fulfill his duties and obligations in the sphere in which he lives, not only for the sake of complying with and not failing the mandate, but to do good and to help in the common task of suffering and progressive humanity."

True enough, we need to revolutionize education and try various ways to correct the mis-education and lapses of the past.  And it involves every body, rich and poor alike.

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University.  A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years.  Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.) 

Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officilas and Employees (R.A. 6713)

Republic Act No. 6713

Subject:        AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, TO UPHOLD THE TIME-HONORED PRINCIPLE OF PUBLIC OFFICE BEING A PUBLIC TRUST, GRANTING INCENTIVES AND REWARDS FOR EXEMPLARY SERVICE, ENUMERATING PROHIBITED ACTS AND TRANSACTIONS AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

SECTION 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies. — It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the term:

(a) "Government" includes the National Government, the local governments, and all other instrumentalities, agencies or branches of the Republic of the Philippines including government-owned or controlled corporations, and their subsidiaries.

(b) "Public Officials" includes elective and appointive officials and employees, permanent or temporary, whether in the career or non-career service, including military and police personnel, whether or not they receive compensation, regardless of amount.

(c) "Gift" refers to a thing or a right to dispose of gratuitously, or any act or liberality, in favor of another who accepts it, and shall include a simulated sale or an ostensibly onerous disposition thereof. It shall not include an unsolicited gift of nominal or insignificant value not given in anticipation of, or in exchange for, a favor from a public official or employee.

(d) "Receiving any gift" includes the act of accepting directly or indirectly, a gift from a person other than a member of his family or relative as defined in this Act, even on the occasion of a family celebration or national festivity like Christmas, if the value of the gift is neither nominal nor insignificant, or the gift is given in anticipation of, or in exchange for, a favor.

(e) "Loan" covers both simple loan and commodatum as well as guarantees, financing arrangements or accommodations intended to ensure its approval.

(f) "Substantial stockholder" means any person who owns, directly or indirectly, shares of stock sufficient to elect a director of a corporation. This term shall also apply to the parties to a voting trust.

(g) "Family of public officials or employees" means their spouses and unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age.
(h) "Person" includes natural and juridical persons unless the context indicates otherwise.

(i) "Conflict of interest" arises when a public official or employee is a member of a board, an officer, or a substantial stockholder of a private corporation or owner or has a substantial interest in a business, and the interest of such corporation or business, or his rights or duties therein, may be opposed to or affected by the faithful performance of official duty.

(j) "Divestment" is the transfer of title or disposal of interest in property by voluntarily, completely and actually depriving or dispossessing oneself of his right or title to it in favor of a person or persons other than his spouse and relatives as defined in this Act.

(k) "Relatives" refers to any and all persons related to a public official or employee within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, including bilas, inso and balae.

SECTION 4. Norms of Conduct of Public Officials and Employees. — (A) Every public official and employee shall observe the following as standards of personal conduct in the discharge and execution of official duties:

(a) Commitment to public interest. — Public officials and employees shall always uphold the public interest over and above personal interest. All government resources and powers of their respective offices must be employed and used efficiently, effectively, honestly and economically, particularly to avoid wastage in public funds and revenues.

(b) Professionalism. — Public officials and employees shall perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence and skill. They shall enter public service with utmost devotion and dedication to duty. They shall endeavor to discourage wrong perceptions of their roles as dispensers or peddlers of undue patronage.

(c) Justness and sincerity. — Public officials and employees shall remain true to the people at all times. They must act with justness and sincerity and shall not discriminate against anyone, especially the poor and the underprivileged. They shall at all times respect the rights of others, and shall refrain from doing acts contrary to law, good morals, good customs, public policy, public order, public safety and public interest. They shall not dispense or extend undue favors on account of their office to their relatives whether by consanguinity or affinity except with respect to appointments of such relatives to positions considered strictly confidential or as members of their personal staff whose terms are coterminous with theirs.

(d) Political neutrality. — Public officials and employees shall provide service to everyone without unfair discrimination and regardless of party affiliation or preference.

(e) Responsiveness to the public. — Public officials and employees shall extend prompt, courteous, and adequate service to the public. Unless otherwise provided by law or when required by the public interest, public officials and employees shall provide information of their policies and procedures in clear and understandable language, ensure openness of information, public consultations and hearings whenever appropriate, encourage suggestions, simplify and systematize policy, rules and procedures, avoid red tape and develop an understanding and appreciation of the socio-economic conditions prevailing in the country, especially in the depressed rural and urban areas.

(f) Nationalism and patriotism. — Public officials and employees shall at all times be loyal to the Republic and to the Filipino people, promote the use of locally produced goods, resources and technology and encourage appreciation and pride of country and people. They shall endeavor to maintain and defend Philippine sovereignty against foreign intrusion.

(g) Commitment to democracy. — Public officials and employees shall commit themselves to the democratic way of life and values, maintain the principle of public accountability, and manifest by deeds the supremacy of civilian authority over the military. They shall at all times uphold the Constitution and put loyalty to country above loyalty to persons or party.

(h) Simple living. — Public officials and employees and their families shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income. They shall not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form.

(i) The Civil Service Commission shall adopt positive measures to promote (1) observance of these standards including the dissemination of information programs and workshops authorizing merit increases beyond regular progression steps, to a limited number of employees recognized by their office colleagues to be outstanding in their observance of ethical standards; and (2) continuing research and experimentation on measures which provide positive motivation to public officials and employees in raising the general level of observance of these standards.

SECTION 5. Duties of Public Officials and Employees. — In the performance of their duties, all public officials and employees are under obligation to:

(a) Act promptly on letters and requests. — All public officials and employees shall, within fifteen (15) working days from receipt thereof, respond to letters, telegrams or other means of communications sent by the public. The reply must contain the action taken on the request.

(b) Submit annual performance reports. — All heads or other responsible officers of offices and agencies of the government and of government-owned or controlled corporations shall, within forty-five (45) working days from the end of the year, render a performance report of the agency or office or corporation concerned. Such report shall be open and available to the public within regular office hours.

(c) Process documents and papers expeditiously. — All official papers and documents must be processed and completed within a reasonable time from the preparation thereof and must contain, as far as practicable, not more than three (3) signatories therein. In the absence of duly authorized signatories, the official next-in-rank or officer in charge shall sign for and in their behalf.

(d) Act immediately on the public's personal transactions. — All public officials and employees must attend to anyone who wants to avail himself of the services of their offices and must, at all times, act promptly and expeditiously.

(e) Make documents accessible to the public. — All public documents must be made accessible to, and readily available for inspection by, the public within reasonable working hours.

SECTION 6. System of Incentives and Rewards. — A system of annual incentives and rewards is hereby established in order to motivate and inspire public servants to uphold the highest standards of ethics. For this purpose, a Committee on Awards to Outstanding Public Officials and Employees is hereby created composed of the following: the Ombudsman and Chairman of the Civil Service Commission as Co-Chairmen, and the Chairman of the Commission on Audit, and two government employees to be appointed by the President, as members.

It shall be the task of this Committee to conduct a periodic, continuing review of the performance of public officials and employees, in all the branches and agencies of Government and establish a system of annual incentives and rewards to the end that due recognition is given to public officials and employees of outstanding merit on the basis of the standards set forth in this Act.

The conferment of awards shall take into account, among other things, the following: the years of service and the quality and consistency of performance, the obscurity of the position, the level of salary, the unique and exemplary quality of a certain achievement, and the risks or temptations inherent in the work. Incentives and rewards to government officials and employees of the year to be announced in public ceremonies honoring them may take the form of bonuses, citations, directorships in government-owned or controlled corporations, local and foreign scholarship grants, paid vacations and the like. They shall likewise be automatically promoted to the next higher position with the commensurate salary suitable to their qualifications. In case there is no next higher position or it is not vacant, said position shall be included in the budget of the office in the next General Appropriations Act. The Committee on Awards shall adopt its own rules to govern the conduct of its activities.

SECTION 7. Prohibited Acts and Transactions. — In addition to acts and omissions of public officials and employees now prescribed in the Constitution and existing laws, the following shall constitute prohibited acts and transactions of any public official and employee and are hereby declared to be unlawful:

(a) Financial and material interest. — Public officials and employees shall not, directly or indirectly, have any financial or material interest in any transaction requiring the approval of their office.

(b) Outside employment and other activities related thereto. — Public officials and employees during their incumbency shall not:

(1) Own, control, manage or accept employment as officer, employee, consultant, counsel, broker, agent, trustee or nominee in any private enterprise regulated, supervised or licensed by their office unless expressly allowed by law;

(2) Engage in the private practice of their profession unless authorized by the Constitution or law, provided, that such practice will not conflict or tend to conflict with their official functions; or

(3) Recommend any person to any position in a private enterprise which has a regular or pending official transaction with their office.

These prohibitions shall continue to apply for a period of one (1) year after resignation, retirement, or separation from public office, except in the case of subparagraph (b) (2) above, but the professional concerned cannot practice his profession in connection with any matter before the office he used to be with, in which case the one-year prohibition shall likewise apply.

(c) Disclosure and/or misuse of confidential information. —

Public officials and employees shall not use or divulge, confidential or classified information officially known to them by reason of their office and not made available to the public, either:

(1) To further their private interests, or give undue advantage to anyone; or

(2) To prejudice the public interest.

(d) Solicitation or acceptance of gifts. — Public officials and employees shall not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office.

As to gifts or grants from foreign governments, the Congress consents to:

(i) The acceptance and retention by a public official or employee of a gift of nominal value tendered and received as a souvenir or mark of courtesy;

(ii) The acceptance by a public official or employee of a gift in the nature of a scholarship or fellowship grant or medical treatment; or

(iii) The acceptance by a public official or employee of travel grants or expenses for travel taking place entirely outside the Philippine (such as allowances, transportation, food, and lodging) of more than nominal value if such acceptance is appropriate or consistent with the interests of the Philippines, and permitted by the head of office, branch or agency to which he belongs.

The Ombudsman shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this subsection, including pertinent reporting and disclosure requirements.

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to restrict or prohibit any educational, scientific or cultural exchange programs subject to national security requirements.

SECTION 8. Statements and Disclosure. — Public officials and employees have an obligation to accomplish and submit declarations under oath of, and the public has the right to know, their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in their households.

(A) Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Financial Disclosure. — All public officials and employees, except those who serve in an honorary capacity, laborers and casual or temporary workers, shall file under oath their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and a Disclosure of Business Interests and Financial Connections and those of their spouses and unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in their households.

The two documents shall contain information on the following:

(a) real property, its improvements, acquisition costs, assessed value and current fair market value;

(b) personal property and acquisition cost;

(c) all other assets such as investments, cash on hand or in banks, stocks, bonds, and the like;

(d) liabilities, and;

(e) all business interests and financial connections.

The documents must be filed:

(a) within thirty (30) days after assumption of office;

(b) on or before April 30, of every year thereafter; and

(c) within thirty (30) days after separation from the service.

All public officials and employees required under this section to file the aforestated documents shall also execute, within thirty (30) days from the date of their assumption of office, the necessary authority in favor of the Ombudsman to obtain from all appropriate government agencies, including the Bureau of Internal Revenue, such documents as may show their assets, liabilities, net worth, and also their business interests and financial connections in previous years, including, if possible, the year when they first assumed any office in the Government.

Husband and wife who are both public officials or employees may file the required statements jointly or separately.

The Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and the Disclosure of Business Interests and Financial Connections shall be filed by:

(1) Constitutional and national elective officials, with the national office of the Ombudsman;

(2) Senators and Congressmen, with the Secretaries of the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively; Justices, with the Clerk of Court of the Supreme Court; Judges, with the Court Administrator; and all national executive officials with the Office of the President.

(3) Regional and local officials and employees, with the Deputy Ombudsman in their respective regions;

(4) Officers of the armed forces from the rank of colonel or naval captain, with the Office of the President, and those below said ranks, with the Deputy Ombudsman in their respective regions; and

(5) All other public officials and employees, defined in Republic Act No. 3019, as amended, with the Civil Service Commission.

(B) Identification and disclosure of relatives. — It shall be the duty of every public official or employee to identify and disclose, to the best of his knowledge and information, his relatives in the Government in the form, manner and frequency prescribed by the Civil Service Commission.

(C) Accessibility of documents. — (1) Any and all statements filed under this Act, shall be made available for inspection at reasonable hours.

(2) Such statements shall be made available for copying or reproduction after ten (10) working days from the time they are filed as required by law.

(3) Any person requesting a copy of a statement shall be required to pay a reasonable fee to cover the cost of reproduction and mailing of such statement, as well as the cost of certification.

(4) Any statement filed under this Act shall be available to the public for a period of ten (10) years after receipt of the statement. After such period, the statement may be destroyed unless needed in an ongoing investigation.

(D) Prohibited acts. — It shall be unlawful for any person to obtain or use any statement filed under this Act for:

(a) any purpose contrary to morals or public policy; or

(b) any commercial purpose other than by news and communications media for dissemination to the general public.

SECTION 9. Divestment. — A public official or employee shall avoid conflicts of interest at all times. When a conflict of interest arises, he shall resign from his position in any private business enterprise within thirty (30) days from his assumption of office and/or divest himself of his shareholdings or interest within sixty (60) days from such assumption.

The same rule shall apply where the public official or employee is a partner in a partnership.

The requirement of divestment shall not apply to those who serve the Government in an honorary capacity nor to laborers and casual or temporary workers.

SECTION 10. Review and Compliance Procedure. — (a) The designated Committees of both Houses of the Congress shall establish procedures for the review of statements to determine whether said statements which have been submitted on time, are complete, and are in proper form. In the event a determination is made that a statement is not so filed, the appropriate Committee shall so inform the reporting individual and direct him to take the necessary corrective action.

(b) In order to carry out their responsibilities under this Act, the designated Committees of both Houses of Congress shall have the power within their respective jurisdictions, to render any opinion interpreting this Act, in writing, to persons covered by this Act, subject in each instance to the approval by affirmative vote of the majority of the particular House concerned.

The individual to whom an opinion is rendered, and any other individual involved in a similar factual situation, and who, after issuance of the opinion acts in good faith in accordance with it shall not be subject to any sanction provided in this Act.

(c) The heads of other offices shall perform the duties stated in subsections (a) and (b) hereof insofar as their respective offices are concerned, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Justice, in the case of the Executive Department and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in the case of the Judicial Department.

SECTION 11. Penalties. — (a) Any public official or employee, regardless of whether or not he holds office or employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent or regular capacity, committing any violation of this Act shall be punished with a fine not exceeding the equivalent of six (6) months' salary or suspension not exceeding one (1) year, or removal depending on the gravity of the offense after due notice and hearing by the appropriate body or agency. If the violation is punishable by a heavier penalty under another law, he shall be prosecuted under the latter statute. Violations of Sections 7, 8 or 9 of this Act shall be punishable with imprisonment not exceeding five (5) years, or a fine not exceeding five thousand pesos (P5,000), or both, and, in the discretion of the court of competent jurisdiction, disqualification to hold public office.

(b) Any violation hereof proven in a proper administrative proceeding shall be sufficient cause for removal or dismissal of a public official or employee, even if no criminal prosecution is instituted against him.

(c) Private individuals who participate in conspiracy as co-principals, accomplices or accessories, with public officials or employees, in violation of this Act, shall be subject to the same penal liabilities as the public officials or employees and shall be tried jointly with them.

(d) The official or employee concerned may bring an action against any person who obtains or uses a report for any purpose prohibited by Section 8 (D) of this Act. The Court in which such action is brought may assess against such person a penalty in any amount not to exceed twenty-five thousand pesos (P25,000). If another sanction hereunder or under any other law is heavier, the latter shall apply.

SECTION 12. Promulgation of Rules and Regulations, Administration and Enforcement of this Act. — The Civil Service Commission shall have the primary responsibility for the administration and enforcement of this Act. It shall transmit all cases for prosecution arising from violations of this Act to the proper authorities for appropriate action: Provided, however, That it may institute such administrative actions and disciplinary measures as may be warranted in accordance with law. Nothing in this provision shall be construed as a deprivation of the right of each House of Congress to discipline its Members for disorderly behavior.

The Civil Service Commission is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, including guidelines for individuals who render free voluntary service to the Government. The Ombudsman shall likewise take steps to protect citizens who denounce acts or omissions of public officials and employees which are in violation of this Act.

SECTION 13. Provisions for More Stringent Standards. — Nothing in this Act shall be construed to derogate from any law, or any regulation prescribed by any body or agency, which provides for more stringent standards for its official and employees.

SECTION 14. Appropriations. — The sum necessary for the effective implementation of this Act shall be taken from the appropriations of the Civil Service Commission. Thereafter, such sum as may be needed for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 15. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance is declared invalid, the remainder of the Act or the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected by such declaration.

SECTION 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees and orders or parts thereof inconsistent herewith, are deemed repealed or modified accordingly, unless the same provide for a heavier penalty.

SECTION 17. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect after thirty (30) days following the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

(SGD) RAMON V. MITRA    (SGD) JOVITO R. SALONGA
Speaker of the House of    President of the Senate
Representatives     

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 139 and House Bill No. 12069 was finally passed by the Senate and House of Representatives on October 21, 1988 and February 1, 1989, respectively.

    (SGD) QUIRINO D. ABAD SANTOS, JR.    (SGD) EDWIN P. ACOBA
        Secretary of the House of                                   Secretary of the Senate
              Representatives

Approved : February 20, 1989

(SGD) CORAZON C. AQUINO
President of the Philippines

National Fun Run for Education Seeks to Generate Involvement of Everybody

Nobody is so poor that he can't contribute something for the good of many particularly the education of our youth.

Although, the government is doing all its part to erase every stumbling blocks in the attainment of universal education and universal participation rate through DepEd's Zero collection policy, it doesn't mean that it is promoting total dependence among our country men.

In fact, it is promoting otherwise and that is to make everybody involves starting from the school levels onwards.  It is in this essence that BRIGADA ESKWELA Plus which has started last May 23, 2011 for the school year 2011-2012 has been continuing and is now on its second phase.

Furthering on this concept, it is maximizing its effort to generate resources and involvement of all through the upcoming nation wide and simultaneous Fun Run which will be spearheaded by all schools divisions and districts on Sunday, June 19.This National Fun Run for Education which has the theme, "Every Runner, A Finisher, Every Finisher, A Winner coincides with our National Hero's 150th birth anniversary

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that instead of participants paying registration fee, they are requested to bring donations or sign a pledge form stating what they can contribute to upgrade the standard of education in public schools.

“We all know how our national hero pushed for the education of the Filipinos and I am sure that a century after his death that remains his aspiration,” said Luistro.

Donations-in-kind could be school supplies (pencils, ball pens, ruled paper, notebooks, crayons, chalk, etc.); classroom furniture (chairs, tables, cabinets, etc.); equipment (fax machine, computers, printers, electric fans, etc.); classrooms; or shop equipment (for Industrial Arts, Home Economics, Agri-Fishing, etc.).

Volunteer man-days / labor support could be serving as a resource person for a particular subject; tutorial assistance; peer counseling; assistance to teachers (preparing visual aids, teacher aid); school maintenance and repairs; or teaching.

According to Merlie Asprer, ASP Operations Manager, they are now receiving confirmation of participation to the fun run from the private sector. “Employees of a telecommunications company, for one, have agreed to pool resources and buy educational materials which they will bring on June 19,” said Asprer.  

Luistro expects to bring together education stakeholders in a spirit of fun and love for education. “This is a good physical exertion and at the same time an expression of compassion for our young learners who need our full support,” he explained.

Sec. Luistro expects to bring together education stakeholders in a spirit of fun and love for education. “This is a good physical exertion and at the same time an expression of compassion for our young learners who need our full support,” he explained.

For more details, everybody could refer by clicking this DepEd Memo No. 90, s. 2011.

DepEd Zero Collection Policy Continuously Stirs Confusion

Gilbert M. Forbes

Although the Zero Collection policy of DepEd has been there for years, still, it has continuously stirring and creating confusion in the field every time enrollment comes.  Parents have been consistent on reporting teachers and school officials who are allegedly not following DepEd’s ruling about it only to find out that what they are collecting are accounts of the previous school year which parents have failed to settle.

What is surprising is that most of these schools are located in highly progressive and urbanized places which have more resources than their counterparts in rural and highly depressed areas.  The Learning Captain learned that collection ranges from Php300.00 to more than Php500 due partly to additional expenses that parents agreed to shoulder e.g., security guards, computer instructor, utilities, and test paper printing.

Due to media mileage, it is also creating negative impression among one sided parents that everything is totally free to the detriment of school operations nation wide which are dependent on parents and community support for its major operating expenses such as test paper printing, electricity and for some water.

DepEd Order No. 41, s. 2011 and DepEd Order No. 19, s. 2008 clearly state that no fees shall be collected from kindergarten to grade four pupils through out the school year.  This prohibition covers authorized but voluntary contributions such as BSP, GSP, Red Cross, Anti-TB Fund and PTA.

Above statement is confusing and are actually in contradiction with realities in the field.  For instance, what if a primary pupil wants to be a Star and Kab Scouts and the parents agreed to voluntarily pay for the membership fees?  What about the PTA Fund which involves every parent?  Does it mean they will no longer be required to pay for the agreed PTA fees?    Does it mean that nothing shall be collected from them?  What about the publication fee?  Does it mean that only grade five and six pupils could voluntarily pay the publication and scouting membership fees?  Allowing only the intermediate grades to pay for the publication fees will surely not sustain its existence among schools will less than two thousand enrollment considering printing cost, transportation and registration expenses during press conferences.

Majority of the school leaders have explained and established partnerships with their existing PTA’s with regards to expenses that they need to shoulder particularly test paper printing and electricity because though some are already receiving their MOOE, still it’s not enough to cover even half of their yearly electric bills.  However, with reference to DepEd Order No. 41, s. 2011 and  DepEd Order No. 19, s. 2008, all of these turns to be not allowed because literally, this move will still include parents of kinder to grade four pupils who are being protected by the said guidelines.

The last recourse usually is to turn to LGU’S for assistance.  But some LGU officials from 3rd to 5th class municipalities are already reacting why DepEd has to ask for things they could no longer afford.  “It would be alright for rich municipalities, but even first class municipalities SEF Fund isn’t enough to assist our schools because big chunk of it usually go to Sports or to salaries of locally funded teachers.”

DepEd certainly has to clarify these things up because it is the teachers who are suffering in shouldering basic operating expenses which the parents or the government should shoulder while school heads are afraid of being reprimanded or face administrative charges.

Diversity Shock: Losing the Mother Tongue (Second Part of 3 Parts)

By Firth McEachern

I was at the supermarket a month ago and decided to try out my fledgling Ilokano on a pretty staff girl. “Manu daytoy?” I asked her, as I picked up a can of corn beef. I don’t even like corn beef, but it was a convenient opportunity to gain a smile from a cute girl.

“Oh, you speak Tagalog!” She said, impressed.

“Actually, Ilokano” I told her, confused. 

“Oi!” she bleeped in that universal Filipino exclamation of surprise. I assumed the wrong word came out, and didn’t think anything more of the incident.

The same bizarre thing has happened five times since. Granted, my skewed accent probably makes it difficult for listeners to identify certain words, but I don’t think that “Agyamanak” could possibly be construed as “Salamat,” no matter how bad my accent is. There was even a time when a person who had mistaken my Ilokano speaking for Tagalog continued to rattle away in the latter language, despite my showing no signs of comprehension and repeatedly addressing him in Ilokano. I finally had to directly tell him, “Look buddy, I don’t speak Tagalog so I don’t know why you keep talking to me like that.” He acted surprised, as if all the evidence pointed to the contrary.

There was something deeper behind these seemingly innocent mixups, and I wanted to find out what. It turns out that it is so rare for foreigners to learn other Philippine languages other than Tagalog (especially on Luzon), that there is a deep rooted assumption that if a foreigner knows a language of these islands, it is probably Tagalog. Unless one is listening attentively, an exception to this rule may be missed. Another factor in these mixups is my own unwitting fault. Upon hearing Tagalog on the television, I was shocked to discover that many of the words in my Ilokano repertoire are in fact Tagalog—no wonder it’s not immediately obvious to people what language I’m trying to speak! I had no idea that people had been teaching me words from both languages; even more shocking was the realization that the regular “Ilokano” heard on the street is heavily mixed too. How can I learn a foreign language properly when it is being so bastardized by another?  
    
This problem motivated me to find out more. Why do so many Filipinos, especially the youth, speak a “halo-halo” version of their mother tongue and Tagalog? The mixing phenomenon is only slight among adults, as in my office, but a walk through a plaza and you will hear many conversations peppered with “wala”, “mayroon”, “hindi”, and “dapat.” Mixing two languages is not necessarily a bad thing; speakers of Spanglish in the U.S., for example, have recently become advocates for the flexibility and wealth of expressions that mixing can afford. But if mixing becomes so habitual that you cannot speak formally in either language, this is a problem. If you have never been challenged to speak your own language properly, your vocabulary can be stunted, reducing the complexity and scope of conversations you can have. Thus limited, you shall never be able to fully appreciate the depth and power your own language can offer, and in frustration or indolence, continue to drift away from it. If you, your friends, or your children are doing the same, this is not just symptomatic of the decay of your own linguistic abilities, but of the entire language.

Presented with this possibility, it was crucial for me to find out whether the adoption of Tagalog words by non-Tagalog youth was merely a playful social affectation or a symptom of widespread language decay. Are Filipino youth gradually losing vocabulary in their native tongues? If 30% of the words used by non-Tagalog youth are Tagalog, will it be 50% in a few years time? 60%? 70%? Will the streets of Dagupan, San Fernando, Baguio, Naga, Angeles City, and maybe even Davao be 100% Tagalog some day? The thought worries me . . . .

(Firth MacKenzie McEachern is a Canadian who graduated from Harvard University. He is currently employed in the San Fernando City Government as a representative of Sustainable Cities, a think-tank and do-tank for sustainability based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His interests include languages, scuba diving, singing, ballroom dancing, photography, nature, meeting new people, learning about new cultures, swimming- ed).

Is it Really Poverty that Drives Filipinos OFW

By:  Gilbert M. ForbesDepEd Quezon 
Region IV-A CALABARZON

For many, it is no longer poverty, perse that drives them to go abroad and become an OFW.  It's the trend because of popular belief of easy money, big income, and more opportunities.

No other than Dr. Clement Camposano, a senior instructor and migration anthropologist from the University of Asia and the Pacific, who explained in an article from globalnation.inquirer.net,  that although many countries are experiencing destitution, poverty is merely one of the factors and not the root cause of Filipino migration. "Those who work abroad are not all poor, or at least not the poorest of the poor for it takes quite a big amount of money to prepare for overseas work.

It is not ordinary therefore that even a public school teacher who is receiving a gross starting salary of Php18,000.00 when given an opportunity to go abroad with a double or triple the amount he/she receives locally will really be tempting and would not blink an eye to accept it even to the point of selling all their properties here if offered for instance to work and reside lets say in the US, Canada, New Zealand or Australia.

This is the case of some of our OFW’s.  The rest they say are driven due to lack of opportunities in our country and out of despair of the system of governance which in the very essence is the failure of the majority to select and vote wisely.  They blame the government which is a total reflection and image of themselves - of who they are as a people.

Was it really lack of opportunities or because we are failing to create opportunities for ourselves like the poor Chinese when they first arrive in our country, or the Indians?   Or is it because our parameters of success are limited on what only the eyes can see?  Or we lack the patience, perseverance, frugality and know how of managing and improving the resources we have?

These we don’t recognize and accept and has remain cautious of that’s why it is easy to blame others and point fingers or escape rather than face and learn from it.

The country is indeed surviving from OFW remittance which could reach as high as $19 Billion a year enough to transform the nation into a new industrialized economy in five to ten years if being spent and managed wisely by its recipients.  But it doesn’t for it end up going back to the host countries of our migrant workers at the blink of an eye due to local spending of foreign-made goods mostly electronics and communication gadgets.

It isn’t surprising that we have the most advance and up to date gadgets and gizmos than our neighboring countries except for the countries producing it.  Cell phones users alone are 82 million.  Just allot a peso a day for these users and would be a staggering 30 billion pesos a year!  It’s more than enough to build 60 000 classrooms or hire additional 150,000 teachers or send a million of elementary and high school students to school for free!

Landing a job or working abroad is financially beneficial but other than this, no more.  Various studies made on the families of itinerant workers find it more damaging than rewarding in terms of moral, psychological, and sociological aspect simply because of the imbalance it creates ones a mother or a father leave.  That’s why, if they already have a job and could make both ends meet here, it is no longer recommended to work abroad.  Or if they have no other option, work only in a short while.

Indeed it’s a great gamble not only for every Filipino who chooses to work abroad for the future of their siblings but for this country as well.  Who will be the winner in the end is a debatable issue but experts are saying we are at the losing end.

Reference:  globalnation.inquirer.net Is it really poverty that drives Filipinos overseas?

Why K+12 is necessary? Information Dissemination Campaign, Key to Public Awareness and Acceptance of K+12 Program

by:  Gilbert M. Forbes
June 4, 2011 

The recent post in yahoo news dated June 2 about the institutionalization of K+12 program in the country has stirred more negative reactions than positive from readers due mainly to lack of significant knowledge of the rationale and importance of the program.

Many look at the programs as additional burden for the parents instead of opportunities and a misplaced priority on the part of DepEd and the national government. They pointed out that DepEd should seek first to improve the quality of education, solve the shortage of classrooms, textbooks, and teachers.  They are also admonishing for more increase in the salary of teachers.

They do have a point but considering that these problems have been here for decades and that the government is not stopping to lessen if not totally eradicate these, they are misled failing to realize that reforms like K+12 or an additional years to the 10-year basic education cycle is necessary due too many circumstances that even history of education in the country as early as 1925 up to 2008 has consistently recommends.

Intensified information dissemination campaign already started since the closing of SY 2010-2011 has to be strengthened to boost public awareness and acceptance of the program or it could end up to the shelves of antiquity just like the proposed Bridged Program in 2004.

Rationale of K+12

DepEd Discussion Paper on the Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program explains that the current basic education is designed to teach a 12-year curriculum, yet it is delivered in just 10 years.  This pronouncement is loud and clear for the field could testify to this.  Teachers find a hard time finishing the required curriculum content even when new approaches in teaching such as Content-Based and Thematic Approach have been introduced and encouraged—the result, lack of mastery.

The World Bank Philippines Skills Report in 2009 reveals, based on a survey of employers, serious gaps in critical skills of graduates such as problem-solving, initiative and creativity, and, to a lesser extent, gaps in job-specific technical skills.

Further, most graduates are too young to enter the labor force. This implies that those who could not go on to college would be unproductive (tambay) and unemployed and are highly at risked to vices as a result of barkada or peer influence or be vulnerable to exploitative labor practices if they chose to work for the family’s upkeep.  Those who may be interested to set up their own business and be an entrepreneur cannot legally enter into contracts.  Most of our youths graduate high school at the age of 15 or 16.

The current system also reinforces the misperception that basic education is just a preparatory step for higher education. For most parents, basic education is usually seen as a preparation for college education. Even this misperception falls short of expectations as most students usually have to take remedial and high school level classes in colleges and universities.

The short duration of the basic education program also puts the millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), especially the professionals, and those who intend to study abroad at a disadvantage.  Our graduates are not automatically recognized as professionals abroad. Filipinos face mutual recognition problem in other countries that view the 10-year education program as insufficient. The Philippines is the only country in Asia and among the three remaining countries in the world that has a 10-year basic education program.   The other two are African countries, Djibouti and Angola.  The Washington Accord prescribes 12-years basic education as an entry to recognition of engineering professionals. The Bologna Accord on the other hand requires 12 years of education for university admission and practice of profession in European countries.

Just try to imagine the flight of engineers and other professionals who opt to work to these countries which offer a much higher salary than their counterparts in Asia, Middle East and Africa.  Their degrees are not recognized on equal footing with their foreign counterparts so many of them end up as assistants and will find a hard time to prove their worth. 

If there could be some that we learned from TV who succeeded in their field of expertise, there are too few of them and mostly limited to the best, extremely competent, intelligent and outstanding professionals.  The majority, don’t.

More importantly, the short basic education program affects the human development of the Filipino children. A Filipino is legally a child before he or she turns 18 years old. Psychologists and educators say that children under 18 are generally not emotionally prepared for entrepreneurship or employment or are generally not emotionally prepared for entrepreneurship or employment or higher education disciplines.

K+12 on Final Note

Cognizant of this urgent and critical concern, the Department of Education is taking bold steps to enhance the basic education curriculum. Hand in hand with vigorous efforts to address the input shortages such as classrooms, instructional materials and teachers, DepEd intends to raise the quality of basic education through the enhancement of the curriculum and the expansion of the basic education cycle.

The department down the different school heads and teachers are one in doing its best to raise not only quality but most importantly reaching universal participation and zero drop out rates through the help and involvement of various stakeholders.

Apart from these, the Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program seeks to provide for a quality 12- year basic education program that each Filipino is entitled to. This is consistent with Article XIV, Section 2(1) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which states that “The State shall establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and society.”

For the country, relevant means not only locally but globally in response to international standards being a member of the family of nations of the world.

References:

Gorospe, Marjorie.  PH Only Country in Asia with 10-year Basic Education-DepEd, Yahoo News, June 2, 2011

Department of Education.  Discussion Paper on the Enhance K+12 Basic Education Program, 5 October 2010

Preschool (Kindergarten) Teachers Should Receive Benefits

Since the first time pre-school education or kindergarten program has become an optional part of the education program of the country, it has already gained the support and following of parents from among the central schools where it has been offered.  Central figure to its success are the pre-school teachers who offered their services even when there is no salary except a small honorarium from the parents.

As a result, so called PTA Funded pre-schools flourished through out key central schools all over the country in the eighties.  When the Department of Education encourages all schools to establish pre-school programs, partnership with LGU’s came into being.  LGU’s provided for the honorarium of pre-school teachers from the Special Education Fund and other sources whenever possible.

Later on, a Preschool Service Contracting Program was instituted by DepEd which is an alternative delivery system to provide preschool education to prospective Grade I enrollees throughout the country through contracting.

Preschool classes are organized in the 5th and 6th municipalities and urban poor areas, and are provided preschool experiences for six months by private preschool providers.  It appears however that most of the time the same teachers who are receiving small amount of honorarium from their respective LGU’s have applied to the program giving them additional income.

However, this is not the case in small municipalities who could not afford to give honorarium to preschool teachers who are also under the service contracting program.  They just settle for it even when many times they have to wait for a long time—months, before they can receive the three thousand pesos monthly payments for their service.

What is wonderful about them is the fact they are doing their job in the best way that they can like any ordinary public school teacher.  They even surpass expectations.  And they are doing with it pride.  A fact that remuneration though of course is very important has no relation in ones efficiency and effectiveness towards work.  It is the attitude that matters and counts.

While preschool teachers are silent about their situation it is because they know where they are from the very beginning.  For most of these preschool teachers, it is not a big deal whether they receive enough or too little remuneration because it is there choice. Nobody forced them into it.  And that choice is to serve. 

Indeed, they are our modern day education heroes which should be applauded by each one of us.  If the government couldn’t yet give a decent financial reward for them momentarily, at least slowly through other means like health insurance, life and accident insurance, and retirement benefits as what the law requires. 

True that majority of these teachers are not complaining, but they should be dignified and the current contracting scheme be reviewed and studied for no matter what they do represent the noblest of all professions which should not be sidetracked.