Philippines Youth Leadership Program (PYLP) 2013 Port of Entry by Jevern Ellaga

PYLP batch 10. Group picture by Rey Ty.

With host families in Illinois. Picture taken by Rikk Nicholson Nalzaro.

At Northern Illinois University, Illinois, USA

Photo by Jun Mark Empas Amban during the PYLP orientation in Manila

"It was a hot Sunday of October when Sir Joven Ryan G. Malida, a popular leader in our community invited me in his house without stating any reason. After our holy mass I curiously prepared myself for the said appointment.

Sir Joven told me about the existing Philippine Youth Leadership Program – Environmental Leadership in the Philippines Developing Youth as Agents of Change and Ecological Activism (PYLP 10) Scholarship to  USA, a 30-day full scholarship funded by the Youth Programs Division, Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State, in partnership with lead grantee Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, USA, in cooperation with AFS Intercultural Programs Philippines, and supported by the Department of Education.

I was so happy to be informed about this program. As a young leader, I am certainly seeking trainings and seminars to improve my skills and capabilities to be a good and productive citizen in the near future. I seek support in our community leaders and do my best to comply all requirements. It was a tough task to comply everything while enrolment is going on. The paper works are very slow. Moreover, some of the faculty and staff are not approachable.

Luckily, I was able to accomplish all requirements. After a month, I receive a call from AFS Philippines inviting me in Davao city for an interview. It was a big accomplishment for me, I was so happy to be one of the semi-finalists of the said program. After knowing the result, Sir Joven, as a PYLP 9 alumna oriented me what to prepare and what to do. He also trained me in answering possible questions. And finally the interview happened in the 7^th floor of Ateneo de Davao University, Davao City. Fortunately, I have answered everything and do well in cooperating with my group mates in discussing Peace Issues in Mindanao.

It was a cold afternoon of January and I was sleeping in our dormitory when my phone rang. I was wondering who it was.  I heard the cavernous cold voice of a man, I found out it was Sir Mahid, an AFS Philippines staff. He formally congratulates me for successfully passing the Philippine Youth Leadership Program Batch 10. I was so happy to the fullest and thank God for this big blessing. Although I know I will encounter financial problems I was even more grateful for I know that the unwavering support of my family, relatives and friends are always there to support me."

Jevern Latimban Ellaga is one of the recipients of the Galing Foundation, Inc. Youth Leadership Award Program from Landan National High School.

Jevern Ellaga, first Philippines Youth Leadership Program (PYLP) from Landan National High School

This is Jevern Ellaga back in 2010 during the GFI Books Turn Over ceremony at Landan National High School, Polomolok, South Cotabato. He later graduated as Class Valedictorian and the 2011-2012 Galing Foundation, Inc. Youth Leadership Awardee (YLA).

He is currently a college student at Mindanao Polytechnic College taking Mechanical Engineering and is one of the 24 selected students from Mindanao for the 10th Philippines Youth Leadership Program (PYLP) that will undergo a four-week intensive leadership training program at Northern Illinois University.

This is the link for the send off meeting(pre-departure orientation) with US Ambassador to the Philippines, Harry K. Thomas, Jr. http://manila.usembassy.gov/mobile/usembassyspylp2013.html

Other ctudents that made it to the 10th PYLP can be accessed from this link:

 http://www.afs.ph/news-and-events/article/?article_id=3816

From the Galing Foundation, Inc Board, congratulations Jevern!

GFI Box 207 shipped to Mindanao

April 5, 2013

Roswell, GA - Galing Foundation, Inc. ships box no. 207 (Invoice no. GA-01) containing books, school supplies and educational toys to benefit Filipino children of Limelifew Elementary School and Amando M. Quirit, Sr. National High School in Sarangani Province in Mindanao.

A big thank you to:

• Cross of Life Lutheran Church for funding its shipment
• Friends of Roswell Library and to the Santana Family for the generous in-kind donation.
• Jay Suarez & Co. TFC (The Filipino Cargo International LLC) for serving as GFI's logistics partner

To track this shipment, contact North Carolina Shipping Office at 980 254-5769. Details at

http://galingfoundation.blogspot.com/2013/04/gfi-balikbayan-box-no-207-full-of-books.html

Basic profile of Amado M. Quirit Sr. National High School

Arnis class demonstration

School participation to the Barangay Anniversary of Kihan

The main pathway of the school

 

ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION

A.   School Name: AMADO M. QUIRIT SR. NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL           
    
B.   DepEd ID Number: 316604

C.   Name of Principal/Teach-in-Charge: JENNIFER S. DELA SIERRA

D. School address: KIHAN, MALAPATAN, SARANGANI PROVINCE

SCHOOL MISSION: 

" Amado M. Quirit Sr. National High School in the midst of a greatly challenged community is dedicated in creating a friendly learning environment where internal and external stakeholders join hands in making it a well-equipped school in the hinterland."
 

Student data for SY 2012 - 2013:
 

Male:108               Age Range: 12 - 26

Female: 156           Age Range: 12 - 21

Type and quantity of books that is currently in its inventory:

Titles	Year Acquired	Source	Quantity	Remarks
API – Pilipinas Isang Sulyap at Pagyakap	2008	DepEd	30	Good Condition
English I – Ventures in Communication TX	2008	DepEd	42	Good Condition
Intermediate Algebra TX	2010	DepEd	67	Good Condition
Geometry TX	2010	DepEd	27	Good Condition
Integrated Science	2012	DepEd	60	Good Condition
Biology	2012	DepEd	60	Good Condition
Chemistry	2012	DepEd	60	Good Condition
Physics	2012	DepEd	30	Good Condition
English II – Ventures in Communication TX	2012	DepEd	60	Good Condition
Various Reading Materials	2012	QUEST	80	Good Condition

Current curriculum:

           School Year 2012-2013 has three(3) curriculum in one. Grade 7 (No longer first year) followed the k-12 education curriculum where subjects are taught from the simplest concepts to more complicated concepts through grade levels in spiral progression. Second Year follows the Revised Secondary Education Curriculum which anchored in the Understanding by Design (UbD) developed by Mc Tighe and Wiggins. It aimed to teach for understanding which should be manifested by the students: students can explain, interpret, apply, have perspective, empathize and have self-knowledge about a given topic. Third Year and Fourth Year follows the Basic Education Curriculum. It is student-centered, community-oriented style of education where Values Education is incorporated into the teaching of other subject areas.
 

            The school intensified its reading program because we believe that the most basic part of learning is the skill in reading. Learning how to learn and not what to learn is what we inculcate in our students.

 

Current Reading Program in Place:
 

                 At the start of the school year, the high school entrants were given an exam both in English and Filipino to determine their reading level. Those who can read well and can comprehend are categorized as Independent Readers. Those who can read but cannot comprehend well are categorized as Instructional Readers while those who can hardly read are categorized as Frustrated Readers.
 

                The Independent Readers were given the task as Mentors for those instructional and frustrated readers and the English and Filipino teachers are their advisers and supervisors of the reading activities. Once a week students were assigned a short story/selection to be read aloud. This oral reading targeted not only to improve the students reading ability but also to boast their confidence to speak in front of the audience .The mentor would then ask some questions to check the comprehension of the reader.
 

                At the end of the school year the learners were given post test to determine whether their reading level increases. Those who did not improved were advised to attend the summer reading camp for 4 weeks.

Photos courtesy of Maam Jennifer S. Dela Sierra.

Lamlifew Elementary School graduation photos SY 2012 - 2013

There were 22 graduates (12 females, 10 males) for the School Year 2012 - 2013 from the Lamlifew Elementary School. The graduates wore their traditional Blaan costumes instead of the commonly used toga. Lamlifew Elementary School is the pilot school in Sarangani for the implementation of the Mother-Tongue Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE). The MTB-MLE program of the Department of Education is an initiative to "integrate indigenous culture in the regular education curriculum using the first language of the majority of the students...in this case, the Blaan dialect" according to the Dep-Ed Sarangani Division Language Coordinator, Ms. Elizabeth Torres.

The 22 graduates for SY 2012 - 2013

Graduation march with their parents also dressed in Blaan attire

Group photo with school administrators, guests, and graduates

Proud Blaan graduate

Graduating class presentation

With the Indigenous Peoples Development Program (IPDP) staff and Board Member Nene Saguiguit

Congratulations graduates of Lamlifew Elementary School!

Photos courtesy of Cocoy A. Sexcion, Provincial Information Office, Sarangani Province.

Boxes 204 and 205 for GFI Mindanao Outreach

GFI box numbers 204 and 205 were shipped to the Philippines to benefit the 2013-2017 LDERA (Library Development and Resource Assistance) Program recipients both in the province of Sarangani namely the Lamlifew Elementary School of Sitio Lamlifew, Datal Tampal, Malungon and Amado M. Quirit Sr. National High School in Kihan, Malapatan.

Thank you supporters and book donors in Atlanta!

Visit this link for other details, http://galingfoundation.blogspot.com/2013/04/world-encycolpedia-reading-books-and.html

Lamlifew Elementary School pilots mother tongue-based education



Learning beads making for tribal accessories



Performing the Blaan Thanksgiving Dance



Playing traditional musical instruments



Students singing thier Sarangani Tibal Hymn

 

Re-posting an important news article from the Provincial Information Office of Sarangani on the launching of the Mother Tongue-Based  Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE).

 

MALUNGON, Sarangani (February 4, 2011) – Local officials, education and language experts led the launching of Lamlifew Elementary School as pilot mother tongue- based multi-lingual education (MTB-MLE) of the province Friday (February 4).
Lamlifew is a Blaan village at the town’s outskirts. Blaan is the name of the people and the language of the largest indigenous group in Sarangani that finally sought indigenized curriculum from the Department of Education.

“Basically, MTB-MLE is integrating the indigenous culture in the regular education curriculum using the first language (Blaan),” DepEd- Sarangani division language coordinator Elizabeth Torres said.

As an example, Torres said teachers can teach the English alphabet in Blaan accent and intonation and then do it in English as an international language.


“MTB-MLE also includes teaching traditional practices that have cultural significance to them.”

Part of the indigenized curriculum through MTB-MLE is the integration of Blaan’s Tabih (traditional clothing), dances and songs to the pupils.

“Sarangani has three variations of the Blaan language from the three municipalities of Glan, Malapatan and Malungon. We will also come up with a phrase book and try to investigate their differences,” Torres added.

Lamlifew has a women’s association aimed at the preservation and development of their cultural heritage and traditional handicrafts.
Lamlifew as a complete elementary started in 1997 with teachers come and go because of their inadequacy in number and their willingness to be assigned to far-flung areas.

The school was built in 1982, then a primary school, through the effort of tribal leader Kalingo Maluma who brought the proposal to Malacanang by himself. Loida Esperanza became the first school head of the school in 1997.

Malungon West District supervisor Nora Nerpiol said the education department has been supporting the school since then through physical and academic means. Lamlifew has the most number of professionals in Barangay Datal Tampal.

Board member Eleanor Saguiguit said the Growth with Equity in Mindanao- (GEM) is on its way for the construction of a footbridge along Bluan river in front of the school where 98 percent of the pupils are crossing every day to get to school.
“We will also look for partners for the community to fund their traditional craftsmanship like basket-making and beads making,” Saguiguit said.

Saguiguit recalled the village, roughly 1,600 hectares of pasture land, was given to her as a dowry by her uncle-in- law when she got married in 1977. She afforded to refuse ownership of the land after seeing the presence of the community there, she said.

In 2007, the province’s Indigenous People’s Development Program (IPDP) helped Lamlifew build a living museum and identified Lamlifew Elementary School as a School of Living Tradition (SLT).

Rosie Alcantara Dominguez, mother of Governor Migs Dominguez, sponsored the technology transfer of silk weaving by Malaysian expert weavers to the Lamlifew Women’s Association.
In 2009, Beth Ditan, a master in the art of beads making from the community, taught Grades V and VI pupils the traditional craftsmanship. Japanese anthropologist Taku Kawamuta later funded the materials for beads making and traditional clothing after seeing the children in the internet.

With the MTB-MLE, the school will have a once-a- week IP day with community elders to teach the children songs, dances and handicrafts. (Russtum G. Pelima/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Photos courtesy of Cocoy A. Sexcion, Provincial Information Office, Sarangani.

Lamlifew Elementary School Profile

Students wear traditional Blaan costume once a week during regular class days

School Name: Lamlifew Elementary School

DepEd ID #: 130606

Name of Principal/Teacher-in-Charge: Ireneo T. Caya

Address: Sitio Lamlifew, Datala Tampal, Malungon, Sarangani Province

2012-2013 Number of students:  236 pupils from Kinder to Grade VI

Type of Books Requested:

All Subjects for the following:

§  Chapter Books/Early Readers Ages 5-8
§  Middle Grade/Ages 7 – 10 & Ages 8 – 12
§  Young Adult/Teens  Ages 13 – 18

School Mission:

Provide quality education and manifest indigenous knowledge and practices with competence and committed teachers, supportive community and stakeholders to produce a culture-oriented and God-loving citizen.

Quantity of books currently in its inventory:

Based on our inventory, there is 1:3 ratio for pupil and books but there were subjects for teacher’s copy only (MSEP).

Current Curriculum:

Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) is good if the needs of the school will be provided like teacher’s books and other facilities especially on the implementation of the K to 12 program in Kindergarten, Grade I and Grade VII. The school needs other resources from non-government organizations (NGOs) to upgrade our educational system.

Current Reading Program:

The school is adopting the District Reading Program Reading Enhancement for youth. The focus is to give remedial reading to slow readers from Grades I to VI, one hour a day in the teacher’s vacant period. To sustain the program, we wanted a very functional library that all the reading materials are present. We have vacant room that serves as our viewing room and at the same time library. We do not have enough reading materials in our library. We plan to assign teachers to conduct and monitor the library day at one hour a day especially to those who are slow learners so that students will develop their interest  and love for reading.

 Photos courtesy of Cocoy A. Sexcion, Provincial Information Office, Sarangani.