by Julius W. Bangnan
Next project was the Special School for Special children (SPED Center). The Supt. Begged OIC-Principal Vicente Panagan to lend the high school shop to be used as temporary classrooms for the special kids who were scheduled to arrive soon. Principal Panagan was willing and so he and the parents of the special children renovated the shop to be used as classrooms.
The teachers who were well chosen to teach the four sequences for the mentally and physically challenged, and the mentally gifted were: Misses Julia Macli-ing, Lydia Leano, Helen Caroy, and Judith Canuto.
At that time when the Supt. was busy with the high school problems, she, together with Engr. Cipriano Abalos and wife Corazon were very busy accomplishing documents required by the Embassy of Japan thru the
Tobishima, Phil. Directors for funds for the ardent long time request for a SPED Center. The Abalos couple, being good friends of the Tobishima directors were interested to have a SPED Center, too. Supt. Tadaoan emphatically told me that she was blessed with a patient, ever willing and knowledgeable Division Supervisor, Mrs. Isabel Babsa-ay, who helped with the accomplishment of the several needed documents by the Embassy as instructed by Tobishima directors.
Luckily, too, the division office secretary Susan Jose Dawang, was on hand who patiently and efficiently typed the many documents and solicitation letters to other government offices, benevolent donors for school facilities, and the DPWH for buildings. These two ladies were of great help in accomplishing the many required documents which were the bases for the release of funds by the Japanese embassy and later by the DPWH, the Supt. repeatedly said.
Not long after classes started for the special children in June 1991, three representatives from the “Save the Children, Japan” arrived to visit the school. Mr. Panagan was present when the Japanese representative gave to Head Teacher Julia Macli-ing the amount of $19,336. The PTA President, Henry Kinomis, and the parents- carpenters spent the money for lumber to make better partitions, made windows of the shop – schoolhouse and made seats, tables, and shelves. Soon afterwards, funds were coming in from the Embassy thru Gov. Andres Bugnosen’s office. The amount of P500,000 was ear- marked for the two-storey building as requested long ago. The amount was able to finish only the first floor. The second amount of P247,000 was sent through the next Gov. Jaime Paul Panganiban’s Office. This was carefully spent by the PTA Officers headed by president Henry Kinomis and company for the upper storey of the building. Thus, the two – storey building was equipped with electricity, water connections and the basic needed rooms such as Home Economics room, 2 toilets, a library and office. There was no space for classrooms as the floor area was just good enough for the designated rooms; anyway, the funds given by the Embassy of Japan were of great help in the realization of these projects. We knew about these happenings as told to us by OIC Principal Panagan.
Thank you very much, Embassy of Japan thru Tobishima, Phil directors. Much needed additional buildings were the next ones to work for, hence, Madame Superintendent had to plead with the Director of the DPWH for a bigger building for the many expected children coming for the next school year’s opening. The DPWH director then sent representatives to evaluate the needs. The Supt. reiterated that the high school shop which was borrowed as classroom for the special children had to be changed with a shop-building, too, to the high school, it being a debt (utang) that must be given back. That was the request of Mrs. Tadaoan to the representatives of DPWH. Soon, the understanding DPWH director approved the construction of the requested buildings.
The new buildings needed facilities. Again, the Supt. requested the Governor and Provincial Board to appropriate funds for the much-needed facilities. Understandingly, then Gov. Jaime Paul Panganiban and the Board with Treasurer Ambanloc approved half a million pesos.
The active PTA President Alfredo Peng-as and the first PTA President Kinomis, with the male parents, undertook the work as agreed upon by them not to hire a private contractor.
“Hallelujah! All projects were successfully accomplished,” sighed the very grateful mother of the division. All projects were done from 1990 to 1993. “To God be the Glory, all things He hath done.”
That was the last time we were together with Ma’am Tadaoan at the DepEd, CAR, more than three decades ago. Before I said goodbye after my recent visit, she muttered, “God bless all who helped in our struggles for the benefit of people: those people who are still around this beautiful planet.
May you spend your remaining years, like me, with joy and thanksgiving; and for those who left ahead to the Better World: May you enjoy your time in Paradise while you intercede for us. Tribute to the benefactors!”**
