Your request was blocked.

Author: synergeia

How a Community Rebuilt a School Damaged by Yolanda

Posted on by synergeia

When Super Typhoon Yolanda ravaged the Visayan region on November 8, 2013, the residents of the Municipality of Batad, Iloilo are among those that had to contend with the aftermath. Apart from displaced families, damaged properties, farmlands and buildings, many public elementary schools were practically rendered useless even as temporary evacuation centers.

bulak-key

Synergeia Foundation President Dr. Nene Guevara shortly got in touch with regular Synergeia volunteer and Batad Councilman Ernesto ‘Estong’ Balida in Iloilo to inform that an initial donation of Forty Five Thousand Pesos from Sycip Gorres Velayo (SGV) President and Synergeia Trustee Washington Sycip would be sent for the affected schools.

Coun. Estong did not waste time after the fund was received. A barangay meeting was called to get a consensus from all sectors on how to use the money. They conducted an inspection of all the schools and after careful consideration chose Bulak Sur Elementary School to be the recipient of the Synergeia/SGV Fund.

But the community still faced the dilemma of rebuilding a heavily damaged school with limited funds. The major question was how to make the best of what they have. The bayanihan spirit then took its own natural course.

“Kami ang bahala sa labor,” (We’ll take care of labor expenses), members of the barangay council offered. Together with the barangay chairman, they unanimously agreed to realign the ‘Cash for Work’ fund from the Department of Social Welfare and Development to help the school. Blackboards would require master carpenters so the barangay committed to shoulder the labor expenses for those as well.

Parents and teachers volunteered to feed the carpenters as well as do clean ups. Along the course of the meeting, the council figured that if anyone had trees felled by the typhoon, the Synergeia/SGV Fund could be used to buy a chainsaw, gasoline and labor expense to harness them. As it happened, Typhoon Yolanda yielded a fair amount of felled trees. “That’s how we saved on lumber cost”, Coun. Estong said. They later received 500 G.I. sheets from PHINMA through Ateneo University that were used as additional material for school roofing.

Through careful planning, efficient use of funds and the combined efforts of everyone in the community, the project of rebuilding Bulak Elementary School thus commenced. Within two weeks after they received the Synergeia/SGV Fund on December 2013, the community had rebuilt a two-classroom building and immediately proceeded to build another two. Thus, the project was accomplished with extra funds and lumber to spare. Classes in Bulak Elementary resumed on January 2014.

“Lahat tumulong. Nagtrabaho na sila kahit walang bayad. Sumobra pa ang 45 thousand,” (Everyone helped. They ended up working even without pay. The 45 Thousand was more than enough), Coun. Estong recounted proudly. He said the overage from the initial P45 Thousand and extra lumber were forwarded to Malico Primary School within the same municipality for its own rehabilitation.

“The faculty, parents and pupils of BULAK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Batad, Iloilo) would like to thank Synergeia Foundation for the help you extend to us. Now we have our roofs back and have our regular classes. Thank you so much,” a certain MJ Agranzamendrez posted on Synergeia’s Facebook Page.

“A lot of schools still need help,” Coun. Estong said as he took the opportunity to make an additional appeal for the other elementary schools of Batad that still need financial assistance, namely, Alinsolong Elem. School, Malico Primary School, Embarcadero Elem. School, Banban Primary School, Alapasco Elem. School, Cabagohan Elem. School, and Batad Central School.

A small amount can go a long way in the hands of people sincerely dedicated to rebuilding their community.

by Ruth Santos, Photos courtesy of Coun. Estong Balida, Office of the Mayor, Municipality of Batad, Iloilo Province

Continue reading “How a Community Rebuilt a School Damaged by Yolanda”

Teamwork Makes the School System Strong – Usec Lino

Posted on by synergeia

A school is not a one-man team, according to DepEd Undersecretary Lino Rivera as he urged school heads to work together with other stakeholders for the betterment of education in the Philippines.

Make your team stronger. The entire system makes it work, –  Usec Lino says.

Speaking before school heads from over 100 schools from CAMANAVA and Pili, Camarines Sur, Usec Lino emphasized the value of teamwork in school management. A school can do well, a principal can excel if he is able to make his teachers better as well. Michael Jordan won championships when he learned how to make his teammates strong. Make your team stronger. The entire system makes it work.

Teamwork can also be extended as far as the relationship between schools is concerned. “Benchmarking with other schools is not a means to gauge if they are better or worse but to learn best practices and apply them.” He reminds that private and public schools are not competitors but partners with the same goal.

The Deped official further encourages principals to acknowledge weaknesses if there are any so that appropriate measures can be taken to address them. Let’s accept the problem as it is without blame. The only way we can improve is to accept the things that need to be improved.

He said he prefers those who come to him asking for help over those who boast about achievements. ‘Pag sinabi, sir, eto lang ang NAT namin. Ang susunod dun, ano gagawin natin? Mas gusto ko yun kesa sa binobola ako. Mas gusto kong aminin ninyo na di ninyo alam ang gagawin. Pagtutulungan natin.

The forum is part of a workshop program conducted in January by Synergeia Foundation to promote effective education governance under USAID’s Education Governance Effectiveness program.

Not Innovations for One but Continuous Improvement for All

Posted on by synergeia

All the pilots that the Department of Education has initiated are done, according to Undersecretary Lino Rivera as he encouraged principals to exercise good judgement in managing their schools.  “I am not looking for breakthrough innovations that only one school can apply. What I’m after are improvements, continuous improvements that will benefit not just a few but all our schools.”

What I’m after are improvements, continuous improvements
that will benefit not just a few but all our schools.”-Usec Lino

This echoed an appeal made by Fr. Bienvenido Nebres in the same forum held for principals from over 100 schools in CAMANAVA and Pili, Camarines Sur. “People should stop more and more innovations every few years,” he said, noting that some of the older teachers do not adjust to new methods. They resort to paying lip service resulting to teachers applying different modes of teaching.
Schools need not change everything but innovate from inside. “Evaluate the current, continue the good, improve on the weak methods,” the former Ateneo De Manila President said.

“Sometimes, even with the best intentions, we do things that get in the way,” Usec Lino acknowledged. “What are the things that we can do better?” he asked.

The DepEd official assures that principals are empowered to decide on unique situations. “Do not wait for memos to act on every single thing.” While school heads are advised to stick to policies, they are given wide parameters where they are free to act, so long as it is legal.
“We are trying to implement decentralization not just because it’s a mandate but because it’s good management,” he said. “You can say no when you have to say no, but say it nicely and give alternatives.”

The forum was held in January as part of the USAID-funded workshop conducted by Synergeia Foundation. Here, Usec Lino urged principals to write to his department about all their concerns. “Please do not hesitate to share your problems. Give feedback to the appropriate unit, or my office.”

bursa escort bursa escort

bursa escort görükle eskort görükle escort bayan bursa görükle escort bursa escort bursa escort bayan