By Anthony A. Araos
It’s not every day when we see Cordillera educators engage productively with each other. But that’s exactly what they felt when the Department of Education (DepEd) rolled out recently during the Regional Indigenous People’s Education Month program at Lagawe, Ifugao.
Drawing on the enthusiasm, resourcefulness and dedication of countless educators from Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Kalinga, Mountain Province as well as Baguio City and Tabuk City, event organizers harnessed their talents for a reinvigorating experience.
Known to be a time-honored gathering which offers a wealth of genuine learning benefits for the entire education sector in this part of the country such as but not limited to ease difficulties of the economic uncertainties and there’s a lot to spin about it. And they too, will be pleased. Just more pleased than before.
I looked at the many other segment of this endeavor. The educators- young and old alike fondness for success is truly evident in the numerous activities. Some miscues aside, the point of holding multi-interactive sidelights such as “abel” presentations, mass, booth exhibition and indigenous games is to show how quickly IP educators are capable of “adjusting” to their “minority” roles in society (since there are only about 6 million ethnic Filipinos if the country’s 110 million population) and believing in a bunch of promises (of politicians) that are made to be broken.
With this value I commend the conduct of the tuknol demonstration workshop. Kudos to Gina Abatan, PSDS- Aguinaldo and Jovita Namingit and Lorena Malihod, both EPS and SDO of Lagawe.
For his part, Ifugao Board Member Peter Bunnag said the event causes “unprecedented excitement,” a deep existential transformation that underlines “everything” Ifugao folks aspire for a better future.
“It is a hint, thus became the sign of great opportunity, A symbol of blessing for the IP sector, and it has provided an exceptional level of hope which has strengthened the impetus for all of us to unite and move forward,” Bunnag said in an exclusive interview with the ZigZag Weekly.
The activity is a vibrant two-day celebration held at two major venues in the capital town. The event then became the place for recording a major milestone.
They do not participate just to participate, not just for attendance purposes only. They participate to continue a tradition. They participate because every event has a story.
To my mind, proactive role in advancing the cause of IPED is a priority.
Through it all, however, the Cordillera educator indeed should elevate this noble cause by addressing key concerns of this sector.
We opt to continue addressing long pressing problems such as insufficient IPED funds. Are you convinced that IPED instruction is surviving with shoestring budget?
The solution is increased budgetary allocation.
It draws parallel with the call for higher wages to overworked but underpaid teachers for them to cope up with the high cost of living.
The living conditions of the IPs should matter to the officialdom. Today, they’ll matter even more since poverty incidence is so high in the CAR.
For the over-all success of the Ifugao edition if this all-important gathering, the question remains, who are to be given credit? Among others, I’d say Governor Jerry Dalipog and Assistant School Divisions Superintendent Virginia Amogan-Batan.
It’s a good take to stress the invaluable contributions of Kalinga SDS Gloria Buya-ao, Chief CID Romulo Ganawan and EPS Maria Teresa Prieto.
And to this I say, a lot of blessings. Sure, by the way I’ll be conducting journalism workshop and clinics for campus scribes of Kalinga who are competing at Regional Press Conference Competition in Tabuk City. The clinic is scheduled in Lubuagan, Kalinga early December of this year. I’m also holding a similar clinic in Lagawe for the Ifugao delegation. Professionally conducted, participants are assured to enjoy the perfect balance of comfort and functionality.
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