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 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.