What Matters Most

A few months ago, I was given the privilege to have the floor of an august body of some Sangguniang Bayan in an LGU I have worked with. This was my opening line: "I came home to die in 2010, because my heart just slowed down with my EF below 30 ... and if I had died in the US, it will be the loneliest wake ever, because I will just be placed in a freezer, with scheduled viewing times! And I love going to wakes. And I know that if my wake is in the Philippines, it will be the most lively one which I would unfortunately be missing!  But I didn't die, so I am just doing everything I can while I am still alive. With my ejection fraction now at 55!"

Sounds morbid? I hope not! The famous line in the movie "Meet Joe Black" is "Two things are certain: death and taxes!" And having faced death several times, one can appreciate life all the more, and resolve to do only what is good, and what matters most. And with too many deaths. especially this weekend, of two good people who are close to my heart, one in the arts and one in the academe, I can only reflect that while my time has not come, life is too short to waste.

Looking back at the past 7 years,  many people who knew me back in the 1990s, have openly shared what they saw and observed of me then - "uptight! high-strung! self-centered! unfriendly!  Too much potential! What a waste! unhappy!"  Of course they offered reasons why. I just joke and ask them - "why didn't you tell me?" As if what people thought and felt about me back then would be welcome.

In 2000, when I had to make a choice and decision that would shock everyone in the entourage of then Mayor Efren Tungol in the US, I still remember clearly, Fr. Boboy Curso in San Francisco, talking to me and asking me why? My answer was "Family!" and he understood. Everyone understood. Or at least I had hoped so. 

Once again, I made a life-changing decision for the family when I decided to join the Exchange Teacher Program in 2001.  Then Father President asked me to stay for the tarsiers.  I was shortlisted to be the Chief of Staff of then Vice Governor Edgar Chatto.  And the late Mr. Cubeta, Planning Officer of DWCT now HNU said: "We gave you a scholarship in FAPE and you will just go to San Jose?" thinking I was going to USJR (hehe) but when I said San Jose, California, he reluctantly approved.  At that time, it was be best decision I could ever make. The rest is history.  But more than 100 cadets at the East Side Cadet Academy have made a turn around for the better, once considered outcasts, now productive citizens of the American society. 

Fast forward to 2018. I have dedicated my life mostly to education reforms, with trainings, team buiilding, titling, documentation etc on the side. I can only sing praises to the Lord Almighty for giving me an extension to life.   I am grateful for every single opportunity to be relevant and to give back! 

-  To my hometown in Alburquerque, where I started my life back in 2010, especially in  Education Reforms with Synergeia, with USAID/FEF PRCEM Project converting tax dec to titles and access to credit, in  Arts and Culture, promoting the Asin Tibuok, the now non existent Alburquerque Municipal Library and the rich collection of books from Pusong Pinoy and many donors both international and local, the Jollibee Group Foundation BLT Schoolfeeding now in Year 5, the Alburquerque United Cooks, the Alburquerque Performing Arts Group, my under 12 soccer team, my Vera's Essence, with new hopes for the Alburquerque Heritage Walk, with the option for a mangrove tour, Vera's Essence Wellness Hub, and a long-term project on Zorbing.

- To my mother's hometown in Maribojoc  - I have helped with Synergeia's Education Reforms, Jollibee Group Foundation BLT for 2 years, and USAID Synergeia Hugpong sa Pagbangon Project. 

- To my father's hometown in Antequera - Synergeia's Education Reforms Program and USAID Hugpong sa Pagbangon

- all the other Synergeia LGUs and other LGUs I have worked with as facilitator, documentor, trainer, speaker on my favorite topics such as VAWC and Gender Sensitivity - Baclayon, Loboc, Dauis, Danao, Anda, as well as for the Abot Alam Program of DepEd

- LGU Panglao - Synergeia's Education reforms, Turo Turismo, Angat Buhay, Abot Alam, JGF BLT Schoolfeeding, and most recently the BLT Central Kitchen

- LGU Ubay and Talibon for Eskwela Agrikultura

- now on the bigger picture with the Provincial Government of Bohol on the three (3) pillars in Tourism, Agriculture and ICT

- all the organizations I have worked with for the last seven (7) years in the Philippines - Synergeia Foundation,  Foundation for Economic Freedom, Kaya Natin Movement and Seaoil Foundation, The Asia Foundation Coalitions for Change in Basic Education, The Books for Asia, Pusong Pinoy, Australian Embassy, BAHRR and all the member hotels, resorts and restaurants, ADB-DOT-CANADA Skills Improvement Project, PRMF, USAID SURGE,  Jollibee Group Foundation, AMOSUP,  JSU, Office of the Vice President Angat Buhay,  TBTK, Ateneo Cultural Laboratory,  National Museum of the Philippines,  Central Visayas Association of Museums or CVAM, NCCA, the School of Living Tradition in Cabilao,  Teatrong Bol-anon  and Kasing Sining, Wikimedia Philippines, Wikipedia, IMPHIL, SWAPP, Women's Feature Service, WomenLEAD, Coalition for Better Education,  the Tagbilaran Community Hospital,  CEDE Engineering, OG Holdings Corporation, Reyna's Haven and Gardens, Water Paradise, East Capitol Pensionne, KAKA, Baji, TACECCO,  TAUPO or Tagbilaran Urban Poor Organizations, NEDA 7, and the various offices in the Provincial Government: BTO, BIPC, BICTU, etc., the City of Tagbilaran, the JCI Chocolate Hills Lady Jaycees, the Bohol Jaycees Senate, the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran and most of all the Department of Education Bohol Division, Tagbilaran Division, Regional Office No. 7 and of course, DepEd Central. 

Thank you for all the wonderful opportunities that have been given to make the last 7 years as exciting and wonderful! Including consultancy with the Step Up Consultants,  BOSEC and the Beautiful Hearts Consultants. Thank you to all the wonderful people and most of all the beautiful heart who have been with me in this journey. 

There is a reason why I try to avoid the negative vibes and occasions. Only the things that matter most!   

-   

1st Bohol Education Summit with focus on ICT held

The ICT-focused Bohol Education Summit was held on March 2, 2017 at the Café Dolores of Bohol Tropics Resort in Tagbilaran City. This was part of the triple event 5^th VICTOR or Visayas ICT Organization Conference, 1^st Bohol Education Summit and 3^rd Creative Conference or CREACON, all three events happening in Bohol.  This was sponsored by the DICT and spearheaded by the Bohol ICT Council led by President Ms. Joanne Phillips and past president Ms. Lai Biliran, the Bohol Investments and Promotions Center of the Provincial Government led by Ms. Maria Fe Dominise, NICP VICTOR head Atty.  Jocelle Bata Sigue and NICP President Stephanie Caragos.

This was a very welcome endeavor both by the Provincial Government of Bohol led by Governor Edgar M. Chatto and the City Government of Tagbilaran led by Mayor John Geesnell Yap with Bohol’s overarching framework “HEAT IT Bohol” where IT is now part of the three (3) pillars together with Agriculture and Tourism. It was a time when the Boholanos got to hear and mingle with the big names and personalities in ICT which would be impossible to do in the Philippine capital.

Also co-sponsors were Transcom,  EC Council, Globe myBusiness, Sourceway, Alturas Group of Companies, Gwion, Malayan Insurance Tagbilaran Branch, Printbit, and Save n’ Earn.  The goodie bags showcasing Bohol products were from Peanut Kisses, BQ Calamay, Dalareich, Donna Rara’s Food Products and Jojie’s.

The 1^st Bohol Education Summit with focus on ICT was participated in by the Bohol Education stakeholders particularly the Colleges and Universities including Holy Name University, University of Bohol, BISU, Cristal-e College, BIT International College, Mater Dei College, Bohol Northwestern Colleges, Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Bohol College of Science and Technology, Bohol Wisdom School, and also by DepEd Bohol and Tagbilaran Divisions and TESDA.

Inputs were given by Industry experts Ana Maria “Penny” Bongato, IBPAP Talent Development,  Jonathan de Luzuriaga, Chair of the IT-BPM Roadmap 2022, and Usec Monchito Ibrahim of the Department of ICT.

The workshop, facilitated in by Ms. Vera Villocido, asked the participants to make their 2017 Education Action Plans based on: Faculty Development, Curriculum Development, Equipment and Facility Improvement and Center of Excellence/Center of Development Certification.

In 2016, Bohol does not have a single Center of Excellence, nor is it included in the Next Wave Cities or Emerging Destinations. The challenge is for Bohol to become a Next Wave City or Emerging Destination in ICT.

Among the faculty development plans included trainings in SMP or Service Management Program, Advanced English Pre-employment Training or ADEPT, DBPM (Oracle), CCNA, Business Analytics, Cybersecurity and Industry Immersion.  For curriculum development, industry linkage and partnership is the top priority.  “Open Lab” facility is mentioned in terms of equipment and facility improvement while for the Certification in Center of Excellence/Center of Development, the universities mentioned working on the requirements within the next three (3) years.

The 1^st Bohol Education Summit was capped with the Commitment Signing by all the stakeholders and the results presented to the plenary of the 5^th VICTOR Conference.  

It was also signed by Governor Edgar Chatto and DICT Undersecretary Monchito Ibrahim. The Commitment said: “Inasmuch as Bohol is becoming a new haven of IT-
BPM investments, we the Education Sector of Bohol, commit to the implementation of the 2017 Education Action Plan”.

(PR/Vera)

4th Education Summit held in Panglao

The Local Government Unit of Panglao convened the education stakeholders of the municipality in the biggest education summit in the history of Panglao on Friday, February 24, 2017 at the Panglao Cultural Center.  The Local School Board headed by Mayor Leonila Paredes Montero gathered together all the members of the municipal and barangay school boards, the school heads led by the District Supervisor Dr. Vitaliano Luga, all the teachers in the elementary and high schools, as well as the barangay captains, PTA presidents, and most especially the partners.  This year’s summit with the theme “Celebrating Accomplishments and Partnerships” honored the education partners including Synergeia Foundation, Jollibee Group Foundation,  The Asia Foundation Coalitions for Change in Education, Rotary Club of Panglao Island, the Panglao PNP and Bohol Tourist Police Unit,  as well as the industry partners such as Amorita Resort, Henann, Bellevue, South Palms, Bohol Beach Club, Tarsier Botanika, Mithi Resort and Spa.

The SB Chair of the Committee on Education Hon.  Noel Hormachuelos welcomed the participants and guests while Vice Mayor Pedro Fuertes gave the statement of purpose. The summit facilitator, Ms. Vera Villocido, explained the overview of the summit.

As in all the three (3) previous summits, Mayor Montero presented the “State of the Education” Report which showed remarkable increases in the Special Education Fund or SEF allocation, etc.

This year’s summit, however, also featured the presentations of each of the school heads of all thirteen (13) public schools of Panglao of their accomplishments and assessment as of schoolyear 2016 - 2017, their School Improvement Plan for 2017 – 2018, and their Continuous Improvement.

Ms. Vera Villocido facilitated the workshop which asked the barangays, in cooperation with their schools and PTA, their Barangay Improvement Plans in response to the School Improvement Plans presented by the school heads.

During the said summit, PO1 Tutor of the Panglao PNP also shared updates about Child Protection and Safety, as well as the laws protection women and children.

Messages were given by Mr. Isabelito “Tatay Billy” Tongco representing Governor Edgar M. Chatto, Mr. Archie Lungay representing Congressman Rene Lopez Relampagos, Mr. Iter representing DepEd Regional Director Juliet Jeruta, Dr. Wilfreda D. Bongalos, the DepEd Bohol Division Superintendent.

Adjudged as the Best Performing School for 2017 because of its overall accomplishments and partnerships was Doljo Elementary School headed by Mrs. Regina Sumaylo.

Each of the schools, not only put up their elaborate displays and exhibits of best practices as they do every summit, but also brought food to add color and a fiesta mood in celebration of their accomplishments and partnerships.

(PR/vav)

Bohol opens the Philippines’ first Senior High School Tourism Facility at Lourdes National High School in Panglao

The turnover of the only Senior High School Tourism Facility in the country was held on Friday, February 3, 2017 at Lourdes National High School in Panglao, Bohol. The first phase features a suite room, deluxe and standard room, kitchen and laundry room.  While the second phase unveiled also on the same day features a restaurant and a conference room.  The P6M facility is a collaborative effort of the Provincial Government of Bohol, the Municipality of Panglao, the Department of Education Bohol Division, the Bohol Association of Hotels Resorts and Restaurants, the Department of Science and Technology, with Technical Assistance from the Coalitions for Change in Education Program of the Australian Embassy-The Asia Foundation partnership in the Philippines.

Built through partnership, collaboration, synergy and coalition, the Provincial Government of Bohol built the facility, the LGU of Panglao provided the equipment, while the Department of Science and Technology also turned over an oven, mixer, banana chips maker, steel racks and many others. The resorts donated the furnishings of the rooms: the Suite Room by Bohol Beach Club, Deluxe by South Palms Resort, the standard room by Mithi Resort and Spa, and the lobby  by Amorita and Tarsier Botanika.

Governor Edgar M. Chatto led the turnover in the presence of DepEd Region 7 officials led by Dr. Juliet Jeruta and DepEd Bohol division led by Dr. Wilfreda Bongalos, the Department of Science and Technology led by DOST Regional Director Edilberto L. Paradela, BAHRR President Mr. Rommel Gonzales,  and The Asia Foundation Senior Program Officer and Theme Leader Mr. Henry Bernabe Grageda.

The Senior High School Tourism Facility is the training ground and laboratory for the senior high school students at LNHS where they apply skills in housekeeping, cookery, bread and pastry, food and beverage, front office, carpentry and EIM or Electrical Installation and Maintenance. This is prior to their actual work immersion in the hotels, resorts and restaurants in Grade 12.

The facility will also become an Assessment Center for TESDA as well as the venue for benchmarking of other Senior High Schools offering tourism-related tracks in the region and the whole country.

The Asia Foundation (TAF) in partnership with the Australian Embassy through the Coalitions for Change program in Basic Education has been in partnership with the Department of Education Bohol Division since 2014 on Senior High School program. In May 2015, a Tourism Senior High School (SHS) Summit, dubbed, “Turo-Turismo” was organized in Panglao, Bohol. That summit brought together different stakeholders from the province and other divisions to develop work-plans for industry contextualization for the SHS program with Tourism as the focus industry. In October 2015, CfC provided a grant to the Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants (BAHRR) to implement the Turo-Turismoprogram, which included teachers’ immersion and development of contextualized instructional plans.

Incidentally, the DepEd Regional Office 7 conducted the first Tourism SHS Regional Benchmarking Activity on February  2- 3, 2017 in Bohol, specifically in four (4) resorts to be the site of the benchmarking activities:   Bellevue, Henann, Be Grand and South Palms. This was participated in by all thirteen (13) DepEd Divisions in Region 7 represented by the Superintendents, CID Chiefs, and the Regional Functional Division Chiefs.

In the message  of Undersecretary Dina Ocampo for the DepEd 7 benchmarking, “What small things we do today for the children, will matter in the people they will become tomorrow.  With initiatives benchmarked against effective practices, we can be confident that we will be proud of the people we will have tomorrow. “

(PR/vvg)

Turo Turismo for Bohol (Teacher Immersion with BAHRR)

The partnership between the Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants (BAHRR) and DepEd Bohol to conduct Teachers' Immersion in the Hospitality Industry as a way to prepare Senior High School Teachers for industry-relevant education follows and is consistent with the action plans of the Tourism SHS summit held at Panglao on May 20, 2015.

BAHRR President and Bellevue Hotel GM Rommel Gonzales took in teachers of Bohol for an immersion in actual resort operations, initial concept of 250 hours, to rotate through Food and Beverage, Housekeeping, and Front Office services. This immersion complements the TESDA-certification that teachers acquire as part of requisites for teachingtechnical/livelihood/entrepreneurial (TLE) courses in High School. The outcome is a contextualized approach to teaching Tourism-related tracks that increases opportunities for employability because of the relevance to actual operations.

Major Bohol resorts including Bellevue, Amorita,  Bluewater, Bohol Plaza, Bohol Beach Club, and South Palms participated. Their interest lies in improving the Human Resources for the Hospitality Industry. DEPED Bohol and BAHRR detailed the program with some technical assistance from CfC. The industry immersion will continue to be done over weekends, the sem break and summer.

In addition to this program, BAHRR is considering equipping and furnishing the tourism lab to be built at Lourdes Natl High School. The intent is to simulate the actual resort environment so students are aware and familiar prior to their immersion.

The innovative program is transformative because:

1) it is replicable and scalable: complete modules and Deped Administrative guidelines will be prepared which can be shared across divisions and adapted to other industries.

2) Sustainable: while the pilot will be supported by CfC, BAHRR will integrate it as an association service. One idea is to establish a Hospitality Industry Academy geared towards enabling SHS and HEI teachers to teach tourism courses better.

3) Impact: Food and Beverage and other tourism-related technical skills comprise the majority of preferred TechVoc track specializations in Region 7, a major tourism hub in the country.

The Coalitions for change (CfC) in Basic Education is an initiative of the Australian Embassy – The Asia Foundation Partnership in the Philippines, which aims to enhance local resources for basic education by focusing on improving local readiness for the Department of Education’s (DepEd) K – 12 Program, specifically Senior High School (SHS). Collaborating for SHS implementation is the overarching strategy for CFC.   SHS allows students to specialize in either academics, technical skills, and sports or arts, to increase opportunities for graduates to be gainfully employed, to start enterprises, or to be better-prepared for higher education.  This strategy is undertaken in two levels – city and province. In cities, CfC’s approach is through the development of a local government unit (LGU) investment strategy for SHS. In provinces,  CfC’s SHS strategy is to link with local industries: focused and sustained SHS implementation and collaboration and better quality investments in SHS from LGUs and industries.

CfC has worked in Bohol since 2013 starting with Abot alam, a program of DepEd on out-of-school youth. Then it led to the assistance on Tourism SHS through the endorsement of both the provincial government of Bohol and the municipal government of Panglao, given that both Panglao and the province, itself, is envisioning an eco-tourism image. This assistance led to the partnership of DepEd and Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants (BAHRR) to further contextualize the curriculum related to tourism which will include teachers’ immersion in the different resorts.

A signing of Memorandum of Understanding or MOU between BAHRR  President Mr. Rommel Gonzales and DepEd Division of Bohol Superintendent Dr. Wilfreda Bongalos was done on October 16, 2015 at Egay’s Farm.  The orientation on teacher immersion was done on October 21, 2015 at the Metrocentre Hotel and facilitated by the Project Coordinator Ms. Vera Villocido.  The teacher immersion ran from October 21 – 30, 2015 where sixty (60) teachers were assigned in fifteen (15) participating resorts/establishments including:  Bohol Plaza, Amarela, Bohol Beach Club, South Palms,  Panglao Regents, Amorita, Henann, Bellevue, Be Grand, Bluewater, Metrocentre, Panda Tea Garden, Loboc River Resort, Rio Verde, East Coast White Sand Resort.  The continuing immersion program will be done during Christmas break and summer.

(PR/Vera Villocido)

"Turo Turismo" Tourism Senior High School Summit

The Tourism Senior High School (SHS) Summit, dubbed, “Turo-Turismo” was held on May 20, 2015 at South Palms Resort in Panglao, Bohol by the Department of Education (DepEd) Bohol Division in partnership with the Provincial Government of Bohol and the Local Government Unit of Panglao supported by the Coalitions for Change Program in Basic Education of the Australian Embassy – The Asia Foundation Partnership in the Philippines. The said summit brought together different stakeholders from the province of Bohol and other divisions in Region VII to develop work-plans for curriculum contextualization and immersion policies for the Senior High School (SHS) program with Tourism as the focus industry.

In attendance were officials from DepEd Central Office, the Undersecretary for Regional Operations, Usec Rizalino Rivera and Assistant Secretary for Planning and Development, Asec Jesus Mateo Lorenzo as well as the Kto12 technical assistants. DepEd Region VII was represented by Dr. Luz Jandayan, the Education Program Supervisor of the Curriculum and Learning Management Division.  The biggest delegation was from DepEd Bohol led by Superintendent Dr. Wilfreda D. Bongalos together with the curriculum specialists and other division heads.  All the nineteen (19) divisions in Region VII attended the summit including Cebu Province, Negros Oriental Province, Siquijor Province, Cebu City, Naga, Mandaue, Lapulapu, Bogo, Talisay, Carcar, Toledo, Danao, Tanjay, Dumaguete City, Bayawan, Guihulngan, Siquijor, Tagbilaran City. Aside from the DepEd officials, The Asia Foundation was represented by Ms. Christine Bantug, Coalitions for Change Program Leader, and the Australian Embassy by Ms. Joji Abot-Camelon, Senior Program Officer. Representatives from the resorts and higher education institutions (HEI) were also well represented. 

 In her welcome message, Panglao Mayor Leonila Montero underscored the importance of tourism in Panglao and Bohol and how tourism is indeed a good laboratory to prepare the youth for quality employment and a better life.

 DepEd Usec for Regional Operations, Rizalino Rivera, could not have put it more aptly when he said he hopes participants will be able to look back years from now and realize how instrumental they have been in this major reform in education. Rivera shares how as consultant back in 1995 he was able to work with the dynamic duo of then Gov. Rene Relampagos and Vice Gov. and now Gov. Edgar Chatto when Bohol was shaping its direction towards development. He cites this most successful initiative, seeing what Bohol has become now, as an example for the rest of the country, that development is possible when you dream and want it enough. He relates this to making learning relevant through a conscious effort to involve industry experts, LGUs, and NGOs in terms of linking education towards global competitiveness.

The governor, for his part, reiterates commitment and support for educational reforms under the K-12 program of the DepEd, the Turo-Turismo, a multi-sector tourism senior high school summit, just one strand of the Tech Voc sector, but tourism as a major and a growing global industry.

Participants of Turo-Turismo did workshops on curriculum contextualization and immersion policy specific for tourism based Senior High School that led to the development of workplans which can be useful in the preparation for the full implementation of the Senior High School in 2016.

After the summit was the groundbreaking of the Tourism Senior High School facility at Lourdes National High School and turn-over of books from Books for Asia supported by the Australian Embassy - The Asia Foundation Partnership in the Philippines.

Groundbreaking of the Tourism Senior High School Facility in Panglao

The groundbreaking of the Tourism Senior High School (SHS) facility at Lourdes National High School was held on May 20, 2015 in Panglao, Bohol. It was led by Governor Edgar M. Chatto of the Province of Bohol, Usec Rizalino Rivera, Undersecretary for Regional Operations, Department of Education (DepEd), Dr. Wilfreda Bongalos, Superintendent of the DepEd Bohol Division, Ms. Christine Bantug, Coalitions for Change Program Leader, The Asia Foundation, Ms. Joji Abot-Camelon, Senior Program Officer, Australian Embassy and officials of the Local Government Unit of Panglao.  Also in attendance were officials from DepEd Central Office, the K to 12 technical assistants, DepEd Region 7 Dr. Luz Jandayan, the Education Program Supervisor of the Curriculum and Learning Management Division. 

 After the summit was the groundbreaking of the Tourism Senior High School facility at Lourdes National High School and turn-over of books from Books for Asia supported by the Australian Embassy - The Asia Foundation Partnership in the Philippines.

 The groundbreaking coincided with the Tourism Senior High School Summit dubbed “Turo Turismo” held at the South Palms Resort earlier in the day which was participated in by all the nineteen (19) divisions in Region 7 attended the summit including Cebu Province, Negros Oriental Province, Siquijor Province, Cebu City, Naga, Mandaue, Lapulapu, Bogo, Talisay, Carcar, Toledo, Danao, Tanjay, Dumaguete City, Bayawan, Guihulngan, Siquijor, Tagbilaran City.   Participants of Turo-Turismo did workshops on curriculum contextualization and immersion policy specific for tourism based Senior High School that led to the development of workplans which can be useful in the preparation for the full implementation of the Senior High School in 2016.  The Tourism Senior High School Summit was supported by the Coalitions for Change Program in Basic Education of the Australian Embassy – The Asia Foundation Partnership in the Philippines.