A Tribute to Teachers 2008

A Tribute to Teachers 2008 Poster

This year, the Bato Balani Foundation and its corporate partners will hold A Tribute to Teachers, the largest gathering of educators in the Philippines, on September 27, 2008 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex.

More details to follow as the date approaches!

Teacher Programs Win Anvil for Third Straight Year

The Many Faces of the Teacher and A Tribute to Teachers were big winners at the recently concluded 43rd Anvil Awards of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines. Both programs, organized by Diwa Learning Systems in cooperation with the Bato Balani Foundation, were recognized with Anvil Awards for Excellence.

The BBFI staff are naturally humbled to have our programs honored in this way, and proudly share this achievement with our different partners that have helped make these programs a success.

Press release follows after the break.

The Many Faces of the Teacher 2008: The Search Begins!

The Bato Balani Foundation (BBFI), in cooperation with Diwa Learning Systems, is pleased to announce that the search for The Many Faces of the Teacher advocacy program of 2008 is now ongoing.

As in the past, partner organizations, school associations, religious organizations, the Department of Education, school heads, students and teachers are welcome to nominate educators they feel are true role models of the teaching profession.

Nominations will be evaluated by an Advocacy Review Board convened by BBFI, consisting of leading figures in Philippine education and corporate social responsibility. In making their selection, the Board shall use as its criteria: the person’s integrity and morality; relations with students, colleagues, community members and family; commitment and dedication to the teaching vocation; strength of values/principles applied in teaching and personal life; and involvement in school and community activities.

Nominations can be obtained via the Diwa website or in hard copy at the Bato Balani Foundation office.

Luis Villegas Teodoro: Promoting Ethical Practice in Journalism

Teaching is more than just profession, it is community service. Professor Luis Villegas Teodoro continues teaching in UP, where he has been teaching journalism for 35 years.

He has been Chairman of the CHED Technical Committee on Journalism since 1997, where he takes the lead in recommending policies related to tertiary journalism education, including curricular content. In 2006, he was again commissioned by CHED to be part of the Technical Panel on Communication and the Social Sciences which recommends policies related to tertiary education in communication and social sciences, including curricular content. Further, as an editor and consultant of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, he engages in media monitoring and analysis of media issues and concerns.

Professor Teodoro is a recipient of many awards from Palanca Foundation. He is also a recipient of the Carlos P. Romulo Literary Award for Short Short stories. Philippine Graphic Magazine and Philippine Free Press Magazines have also awarded him for his short story entries in 1968 – 1970. He received his first Carlos P. Romulo Professional Chair in Journalism in recognition of his academic excellence in 1987 and has received more Professional Chair awards from different groups. This year, we are delighted to recognize Professor Teodoro as an honoree of The Many Faces of the Teacher campaign.

Fr. Roque Angel Jamias Ferriols: Philosopher of Meron

The Many Faces of the Teacher is privileged this year to recognize a truly learned Jesuit.

Fr. Roque Angel Jamias Ferriols, S.J. made the daring decision to teach philosophy in Filipino at a time when English was the popular choice and was regarded as the only language of education. In fact, he was prohibited to do so; yet persistence paved the way.

A Jesuit for 65 years, teacher for 52 and the only “true genius” in the Philippine province of the Society of Jesus according to historian Horacio de la Costa, Fr. Ferriols’ teachings stay with his students long after the course is completed. This is because he teach philosophy in such a way that students are transported to the very shores of ancient Greece, in way that the thinking of Heraclitus and Parmenides are experienced in an almost palpable manner. This he is able to do because he reads and studies in the original language and he teaches in the native language.

Fr. Ferriols has written several books on Philosophy, four of which have been recognized as the best books in their respective categories by the Manila Critics Circle. He was awarded Professor Emeritus in 2006, Outstanding Senior Teacher in 2002, Tanglaw ng Lahi in 1989.

Ronyla Alejo Santiago: Mobile Educator

A truly inspiring story from this year’s The Many Faces of the Teacher campaign comes to us from Nueva Ecija.

Walking about ten kilometers to teach the minorities, out-of-school youth and adults; going to an MNLF integrees’ camp in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija; hosting a Home for Girls (HFG) also in Palayan City to counsel and mentor to abused girls; as well as active participation in organizations that coordinate with various individuals to implement programs that benefit these sectors – these are just some of the things our honoree from Nueva Ecija does to live her philosophy of “What you do to the least of your brothers, you do unto me.”

Ronyla Alejo Santiago is a District Alternative Learning Systems Mobile Teacher (ALS-MT) under government program for alternative learning designed for non-formal education.

It’s not difficult to see that Ms. Santiago is an inspiring educator. A 44-year-old farmer, Godofredo Gabat, was hesitant to attend ALS, but seeing the results of those who attended Ms. Santiago’s class, he enrolled. He failed at first, but was challenged to persevere. Now, Mr. Gabat is a para-teacher working with Ms. Santiago who he considers his inspiration and mentor, a lady who has a big and kind heart.

Ms. Santiago is Regional Awardee for Meritorious Achievements in ALS, Most Outstanding Basic Literacy Mobile Teacher, Regional Winner for the Search for the Most Outstanding Basic Literacy Mobile Teacher, Awardee for Gawad Parangal at Pagkilala sa mga Natatanging Pilipino. She is also recognized for valuable services rendered in the adult education program of the MNLF.

But for her, greater rewards come in seeing 58 of her 158 MNLF integree students deciding to turn over a new leaf.

Elsa Grafilo Duran: Special Attention for Special Children

Teaching in itself is a difficult task. It takes a lot from a teacher, not just in terms of time and skills, but also emotions. This is all the more true if a teacher is handling special children.

Elsa Grafilo Duran of Cotabato City Central Pilot School has been teaching Orientation and Mobility and Writing in Braille to children with special needs for thirteen years.

In 1996, she was awarded as most outstanding SPED teacher by the Department of Education in the national, regional and division level. She is also president of SPED Division Association and Member of the Teachers Community Association.

Her dedication is unquestionable. Teacher Elsa works Saturdays, Sundays and even holidays aside from performing other activities such as daily living chores. She also acts as foster parent to homeless kids enrolled in her class and houses them in her modest home for temporary shelter. Further, she refuses to be hindered by anything, even a lack of funds.

According to school principal Norma Sinsuat, “With or without any budget, all activities are implemented due to her initiative, resourcefulness and good public relations with stakeholders, LGUs, NGOs and religious groups…[Also as a result of her efforts] she was able to solicit the budget for school year 2005–2006 from Congresswoman Bai Zandig G. Dilangalen.”

Her efforts have helped build a new classroom and has encouraged parents to enroll their children in the program. From five students when she first took over the program in 1995, the school now has twenty-six children with special needs such as autism, visual impairment, hearing impairment and learning disability.

The Bato Balani Foundation and Diwa Learning Systems are delighted to recognize Teacher Elsa Grafilo Duran as truly deserving honoree of The Many Faces of the Teacher 2007.

New Heroes, New Honorees for The Many Faces of the Teacher Search

On August 2, 2007, The Bato Balani Foundation and Diwa Learning Systems introduced this year’s honorees for The Many Faces of the Teacher program. A campaign that recognizes leaders in the teaching profession as examples of true heroes, this year’s honorees come from across the country and represent over 100 years of combined teaching experience.

The honorees are Elsa Grafilo Duran, a special education teacher; Ronyla Alejo Santiago, a mobile teacher from Maguindanao who walks nine to ten kilometers to teach in the MNLF integress camp in Palayan City; Fr. Roque Angel Jamias Ferriols, a Jesuit who teaches philosophy in Filipino; and dedicated journalism professor Luis Villegas Teodoro.

These remarkable educators were selected after a search for outstanding teachers that began in January of this year. They join the ranks of past Many Faces of the Teacher honorees Batibot founder Feny delos Angeles-Bautista; Father of Filipino Philosophy Dr. Florentino Timbreza; Theology Professor Dr. Joseph Roche; Math Wiz and professor Queena Lee-Chua; explorer and teacher Dr. Josette T. Biyo, to whom Planet Biyo was named after; cool dad and man of science Dr. Caesar Saloma; mentor and esteemed teacher Dr. Onofre Pagsanghan; Loboc Children’s Choir founder and nurturing mom Alma Fernando-Taldo; World’s Fastest Reader and reading coach Dr. Maria Teresa F. Calderon; wonder worker and mathematics pillar Dr. Milagros Ibe; and man for others and mentor Fr. James Reuter.

This year’s honorees will be formally recognized by colleagues in A Tribute to Teachers to be held at the Araneta Coliseum on September 1, 2007. More than 12,000 educators are expected to attend and join in honoring the exemplary educators.

The Many Faces of the Teacher 2007: Honorees Selected!

On July 6, 2007, Bato Balani convened an Advocacy Review Board to deliberate upon and select the honorees for 2007’s The Many Faces of the Teacher campaign.

Now in its fourth year, The Many Faces is an advocacy program that aims to extol the virtues of teaching by identifying role models in the teaching profession who can inspire their fellow educators to excellence. While many teacher-oriented programs seek to recognize teachers for their skill and dedication to their craft, what sets Many Faces apart is that it strives to identify leaders who happen to be teachers, individuals that make a difference not just to their students but to their local communities as well.

To aid in the selection process, BBFI invited leading figures in education and corporate social responsibility to participate in the Advocacy Review Board. Joining BBFI Chairman Saturnino G. Belen Jr. were Juan Miguel Luz, former DepEd Undersecretary and current President of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction; Lydia Sarmiento, President of the Sarmiento Foundation; Marge Barro, Executive Director of the League of Corporate Foundations; and Oman Jiao, Executive Director of the Association of Foundations.

The selection marks the end of a nationwide search for outstanding Filipino teachers that began in January of this year. From the submitted nominations, BBFI staff prepared a short list of twelve candidates who represented the “cream of the crop” of nominees. Interviews with the twelve, their students and colleagues, together with impressions from visits to their schools and communities by BBFI staff, informed the Advocacy Review Board’s deliberations leading up to the final selection of honorees.

The Bato Balani Foundation will unveil the identities of the honorees when The Many Faces of the Teacher kicks off its mass media campaign in August. Further, they will be given special recognition at A Tribute to Teachers, the largest gathering of teachers and educators in the Philippines, taking place this September.