The school-based parents’ training had been postponed in the past so the parent leaders themselves took the initiative to push through with the activity this time.  Thus, the back-to-back parents’ training workshops in Miagao, Iloilo were finally held last March 14, 2018.

Pungtod-Caitid Elementary School (PCES) is an in-land school some 1.5 hours away from Iloilo City.  It served as venue in the morning for the school-based training of parents of children from 7 schools namely Pungtod-Caitib, Bacauan, Miranda, Valencia, Guibongan, Kirayan and Miagao Central.  Mr. Gerardo Monta, HT III of PCES welcomed the participants – some 71 of them – and thanked the SGC and the community for their effort in the preparations for the workshop.

The first workshop activity was on parenting practices.  Some parents became emotional during the sharing session but they learned good parenting techniques from one another.  They said the opening activity was very inspiring and helpful to them.

The parents had fun in the role playing portion and they took their roles in different fashion.  They were given several situations involving children in need of parents’ attention and they were to act out how they would deal with it.  In the next module which the parent facilitators introduced, the parents learned more about “You” and “I” statements, and how to use “I” statements as an effective technique to discipline children.

The last workshop module was on how parents can teach their children to love reading.  A very effective way is to always read stories to children, and I read one heartwarming story to them titled “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch.  After reading the story, many parents shared different life situations that showed the undying love of a parent.

Even with just a half-day workshop, many parents said that they learned strategies on how to help children read, love reading, and develop a good attitude towards studies.  One mother said it is important for parents to make their children feel their love for them and their support for their studies and a better life ahead.  Another mother volunteered her time to reach out to more parents in her school.   Mr. Monta, the school head, was pleased with the turnout and pledged to hold more parenting workshops in the school.

For the afternoon workshop, I travelled for 15 kilometers from Pungtod-Caitib ES to Aguiauan ES.  The venue proved to be very challenging – – it was a small room with low ceiling and poor ventilation.  Mr. Failaman, the Principal of AES and I suggested to hold the workshop under the cool shade of mahogany trees in the school grounds. The parents did not complain and helped carry the tables and chairs outside.

Some 67 parents were registered but a few more came in when the workshop had started.  Our participants were parents of children from Aguiauan, Malagyan, San Jose, Indag-an Tan-agan, Ticdalan, Tigmarabo, Monteclaro and Consolacion Elementary Schools.   Just like in the morning session, the workshop started with a self-assessment and a sharing of parenting styles and experiences.  Some candidly said what they needed to improve on to become better parents.

This was followed by group discussions and sharing on techniques to teach children good manners.  With the help of parent-facilitators, the parents also learned how “I” statements can be effective in disciplining children.  Teaching the children to love reading was the last activity for the afternoon, and we read the story “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch, a story of unconditional love of a mother to her son.  Our parent-participants asserted that there is love forever between them and their children.  One mother said that even if his son is “pasaway,” her love remains.

In his concluding statement, Mr. Failaman thanked Synergeia and committed to continue the parenting seminars in his school, hoping that the other schools would do the same so that the whole district of Miagao East can have a strong core of parent leaders who can provide parents’ training in schools.  The dedication of our education partners on the ground is truly inspiring.

March 20, 2018 was a red-letter day for Panghulo Elementary School and everyone was abuzz with excitement.  It was the day of the groundbreaking for the construction of a 2-storey, 6-classroom building costing P8.27 million and to be funded by UniTeller.

At around summer last year,  UniTeller, a US-based international remittance company whose CSR program focuses on supporting the welfare of children by working with their barangays, schools and communities, did a site inspection of the elementary school and saw that the existing 1-storey 3-classroom building was one meter below the school ground level.  During heavy rains and high tides when the nearby Tullahan River became swollen, the classrooms became flooded and the teachers and children held classes with feet soaked in flood waters.  Immediately, UniTeller decided to prioritize the construction of a new school building.

The partnership agreement was concluded among UniTeller, Barangay Panghulo in Obando, Bulacan, the Panghulo Elementary School and Synergeia Foundation.  It is now coming to fruition.  Construction will be done in two phases – 3 classrooms on the first storey will be completed in time for the school opening in June, while the 3 other classrooms on the 2^nd storey will be constructed next year.  Principal Vilma de Ocampo, Barangay Captain Marc Louie Gonzales, Synergeia CEO Ma’am Nene and officials of UniTeller led by Mr. Oscar Moreno, Mr. Fernando Gutierrez and Mr. Felipe Roque were present to witness the groundbreaking.  We are hoping for more collaboration with UniTeller Filipino Inc.  in the future.

“A Worthy Life is (one) for the Service of Others” – Mayor John Rey Tiangco

An old song goes “love is lovelier, the second time around…”  Except that it wasn’t the second time but the fifth time that Synergeia facilitated an education-related workshop in Navotas City.   Still, the experience of working with our partner-education leaders in Navotas has always been very inspiring for us.

The workshop was held on March 1 and 2, 2018 for School Governing Councils from 15 Navotas elementary schools and 8 Navotas high schools.   It aimed to capacitate the SGC members on their more complex roles such as policy making, action planning, financing, goal-setting and task analysis, and developing a SGC brand.   It was encouraging to see the participants very active during discussions and exercises, and very eager to learn.  They also enjoyed the session on “The Look of a Leader” by Director Oskar Atendido of John Robert Powers International which taught them stance and posture, and improving one’s gait to project confidence.  The catwalk portion of this module was a relaxing way to close the first day of session.

Synergeia initially collaborated with Navotas in 2013 for a training workshop for the Local School Board.  This was followed by a workshop on school governance and a training for barangays in 2014, and a workshop for School Governing Councils in May 2015.  Although there was a break in our engagement for almost 2 years, Navotas continued to push education programs on its own.  Its Local School Board performed well in education governance.   Synergeia President Ma’am Nene referred to the Navotas experience as a great measure of how successful the LGU-Synergeia partnership has worked despite the 2-year absence.  And she gave credit to the hardworking, data-savvy, service-oriented and family-centered  chief executive, Mayor John Rey Tiangco.

Mayor John Rey, as he is fondly called by most people who knew him, was very generous with his time and came to open and close the 2-day SGC workshop.   He pushed for the workshop as he saw the need to continue the training of SGCs in Navotas.  He understood their huge role in the education of children.  Whereas in the past, education was left to the teacher and the parent only, now, everyone including the barangay, the community and the private sector must contribute to make sure all children of school age are in school and getting quality education.   Mayor John Rey definitely knows whereof he speaks – – he was a SGC member way before he even thought of running for Mayor of Navotas.

For a young man, Mayor John Rey’s wisdom and dedication are inspiring.  In his closing remarks, Mayor John Rey advised the SGC members to choose good leaders who have the passion to make education work and the commitment to serve.   “A worthy life is (one) for the service of others,” he said.  Navotas City is indeed fortunate to be under his leadership, and Synergeia is privileged to have an Education Mayor in Mayor John Rey.