Baguio City

Masarap Gumala Diba?

Kung magmumula ka sa Kalakhang Maynila, tatlong terminal ang pwede mong puntahan (Monumento, Pasay, at Cubao). Dito mo makikita ang sakayan papuntang City of Pines. Nasa apat hanggang anim na oras ang biyahe kung sa Victory Liner ka sasakay at nakadepende ito kung ordinary aircondition or Deluxe. Mas mahal ang deluxe dahil may Comfort Room ito sa loob, mas kaunti ang pasahero, at mas mabilis ang biyahe kumpara sa karaniwan.

Isa ang Baguio City sa pinupuntahan ng karamihan sa bansa. Maliban sa malamig dito, masasarap ang pagkain. Hindi kasi pareho ang lasa ng pagkain nito sa karaniwang kainan sa kapatagan lalo na sa kalakhang Maynila. Malinamnam ang Filipino Food kasabay ng malamig na panahon. Basta kakaiba ang lasa na sa Baguio ko lang natitikman.

Marami ring tanawin ang magandang puntahan. Marahil sa lamig ng panahon, masarap maglakad-lakad. Isa rin ang strawberry farm na makikita naman sa La Trinidad, Benguet. Kaso may panahon lamang na magandang pumunta rito dahil may panahon lang na namumunga at pwedeng mamitas ng strawberry.

Ang mas kinasisiya ko ang mga produkto na kung sa Baguio ka mismo bumili, mas masarap dahil siguro sa presko nito. Tila nga nagiging kumpleto ang biyahe ko kapag nabili ko ang mga ito.

Minsan masarap ding makita ang ganda ng kapaligiran. Nakakatulong kasi itong mabawasan ang bigat ng problema o stress dulot ng trabaho. Kailangan mo lang tumingin-tingin dahil marami kang matutuklasan.  Enjoy your Life!

Agonies of A Public School Teacher Part I

 By Teacher Bong Lopez

“Teacher Mercy, paano po kayo naghanda sa kumpetisyon ngayon?” Tanong ng Host at Actor na si Ryan Agoncillo ng pinakasikat na noon time show, ang EAT BULAGA sa kanilang Semi-Final Round ng Pinoy Henyo 2007 High School Edition. “Araw-araw po kaming nagpa-practice at china-challenge ko sila ng mga payo at salita para lalo sila ganahang maglaro”. Tugon ni Teacher Mercy… “Ano po ang gusto nyong sabihin sa mga bata bago natin umpisahan ang patimpalak?” Tanong ni Ryan. “Nico at Gian Carlo, kayo ay kayamanan ng ating eskuwelahan, ilang beses na ninyong  binibigyan ng karangalan ang ating eskwelahan hanggang nakarating tayo dito sa Semi Final, alam kong kaya niyo ito, relax lang kayo and go! go! go! fight! fight! fight!” halos paiyak na wika ni Teacher Mercy habang nararamdaman niyang lumalakas na din ang tibok ng kanyang puso dahil sa nerbiyos.

Nang magsimula na ang laro ay halos manahimik ang buong studio at habang sumasagot ang mga bata ng mga tanong ay humihiyaw naman ang mga manonood. Halos di magkarinigan sa loob dahil sa hiyawan ng mga tao. Nang matapos na ang mga bata sa pagsagot ay nalaman nilang sila ang may pinakamaikling oras na nagamit. Napalundag si Mercy dahil alam nya na sila ang nanalo at itinaas ang kanyang kanang kamay at sumigaw ng malakas na “YES! YES! WOOAAH!” ‘Di siya makapaniwalang sila ang nagwagi at parang nakalutang sya sa alapaap habang patakbo siyang pumunta sa entablado upang samahan ang kanyang mga estudyante. "Congratulations! San Vicente High School. Babalik kayo sa Grand Finals na gaganapin sa May 23. You won a total amount of One hundred thousand pesos. Magbabalik ang EAT BULAGA” Masaya at masiglang anunsyo ni Ryan, sabay putol ng T.V. live broadcast para sa commercial break.

Masaya ang lahat dahil sa nakuha nilang premyo. Nakuha pang manlibre ng dalawang winners sa higit sa isang bus na akay akay nilang supporters, guro, at estudyante sa kanilang paaralan sa isang restaurant sa Kamuning upang kumain. Parang fiesta ang araw na ‘yon. Sulit ang pagod, kaba, at gutom ng bawat kasama. Si Mercy naman ay tuwang tuwa dahil nakatanggap sya ng sampung libong piso bilang coach. Ito ay kusang binibigay ng Eat Bulaga sa mga nananalo at di nanalong coaches.

Nang maghiwa-hiwalay ay dagliang umuwi si Mercy sa kanilang bahay upang puntahan ang kanyang apat na anak at asawang kapwa din niyang guro sa public school. Sa daan pa lang ay napakarami nang nagsasabi sa kanya na
“Congratulations Ma’am, balato po namin…” na gagantihan na lamang ng ngiti ni Mercy. Ang kanyang mga kapitbahay, kapwa guro, kabarangay, kakilala at higit sa lahat ang kanyang pamilya ay tuwang tuwa dahil sa napanood siya kanina sa T.V. sa Eat Bulaga  na may pinakamataas na rating tuwing tanghali at may napakaraming televiewers nationwide.

Agad niyakap si Mercy ng apat niyang anak.. “Mama ang galing galing mo!,” sabi ng panganay.. “Ang ganda mo pala sa TV Ma,” ika ng nag-iisang lalaki niyang anak. “Very good! Nakabihis na pala kayo. O halina at nasa kotse na si Papa niyo kakain tayo ngayon sa labas.” Pag-aaya ni Mercy sa kanyang mga anak. “Yeehey!” Sabay sabay na sigawan ng apat na magkakapatid at kinarga ni Katkat, pangalawang anak ni Mercy, ang bunsong kapatid.

Narinig nila ang tunog ng lumang kotse ng tatay nila. Hirap na hirap ang tatay nila na magmani-obra ng sasakyan dahil makipot at matao ang squatter area na kanilang tinitirhan. Kailangan pang hawakan at tanggalin sa kulungan ang manok na panabong ng kapitbahay, para lang makadaan ang kotse nilang segunda mano. “Pa,’bat ayaw mong bumili ng tricycle?” tanong ni Pawpaw, ang panganay nilang anak. “Mas safe tayo dito Nak.” masayang sagot ni tatay dahil hindi niya masabi  ang tunay na dahilan. Binili lamang niya ang kotse sa halagang Fifteen thousand pesos na halos apat na beses na mas mura kaysa sa maganda, bago, at branded na motor.

“Ma, mag gasolina tayo ha?” wika ni Teacher Manny kay Mercy. Halos said na din kasi ang lamang gas ng kotse at dahil sa old model na nga ito ay parang nagmumumog pa sa pagkunsumo ng gasolina pag ito’y gagamitin. Madalas ngang biruin si Manny ng kanyang prinsipal na ibenta na lang ang kotse sa VIVA FILMS, para pasabugin sa pelikula, o  di kaya’y dalhin sa Manila Bay para pakapitan sa talangka, talaba, at tahong. Iniisip na lang ni Manny na mas okay na ‘yon kaysa tulad ng kanyang boss na may bago ngang kotseng Mitsubshi Mirage pero hinulugan naman ng mahigit twenty thousand pesos sa isang buwan sa loob ng limang ton. Nagtataka  tuloy siya  kung paano ito nahuhulugan ng kanyang prinsipal samantalang wala namang trabaho ang asawa nito. ’Di rin naman kataasan ang sweldo nya at may netong Four thousand three hundred pesos sa kanyang Payslip sa buwan ng Pebrero 2007. Nalaman nya ito nang minsang aksidente niyang makita sa ibabaw ng mesa ng prinsipal ang nasabing dokumento.
 
May RUSI na scooter namang ginagamit si Manny sa araw araw niyang pagpasok sa school para makatipid sa gas tutal mag-isa lang naman siya o di kaya’y pag sinusundo si Mercy. Ipinasalo lang ito nang hindi makabayad na kapitbahay sa buwanang hulog na One thousand six hundred pesos sa loob pa ng isa’t kalahating taon.

Malaking bagay na din na makatipid siya sa pamasahe o sa gasolina para sa pagkain nila araw-araw, baon ng  nag-aaral nilang mga anak at bayad sa nagbabantay sa kanilang bunsong anak. Ginagamit na lang nya ang kanilang box type na kotse pag may pupuntahan silang pamilya tulad ng pagsisimba, pamamasyal sa circle, at kapag papunta sa Mindoro, sa mga magulang ni Mercy. Mabuti na lang at magaling ang mekaniko niyang si Rey, na kahit sisenta y tres na ay kaya pa ring magtrabaho  at magkumpuni. Mas lalo pang ginagahan si Rey pag nakakainom ng tatlong boteng Redhorse na sinasabi niyang kanyang maintenance.

“Ma, saan tayo kakain?” Excited na tanong ng mga bata kay Mercy. “Sa Mang Inasal  na lang anak  tapos didiretso tayo sa Supermarket pagkatapos sa TOM’S WORLD.” Sagot ni Mercy “Yehey! Alam mo ba Mama habang nagsasalita ka kanina sa T.V. naghihiyawan ang mga kapitbahay natin sumisigaw sila sa amin… “Pawpaw, Kat Kat, Otoy, ang Mama niyo, nasa T.V. siya!” Di nga namin expect na mananalo kayo kasi magagaling din yong ibang schools. Mama sa Grand Finals sasama kami ha? Please..” Pagmamalaki’t pamamakaawang  wika ni Otoy sa Nanay.

Pagdating sa restaurant ay agad silang pumila para umorder. Halos alas otso na ng gabi nang maihain ang kanilang pagkain. Sa sobrang gutom ay halos pabalik-balik ang waiter na mag-aabot ng extra rice. Si Mercy naman ay masayang pinagmamasdan ang kanyang asawa at mga anak na ganadong kumakain. Sa sandaling panahon ay nakalimutan niya na kahapon lang ay halos wala na palang gatas si baby at aabot na sa tatlong buwan ang kanilang bayarin sa renta at dalawang buwan naman sa tubig at kuryente. Kung pwede na nga lang mag-tap sila sa connection sa Meralco sa kanilang lugar, gagawin nila para walang monthly bills dahil halos lahat naman  ay may jumper sa kanilang kalye. Iniisip pa din niya na mga guro sila at hindi naman magandang makita o malaman may ganoon silang gawain.

Naisip din niya ang dating humigit kumulang na Sampung libong pisong niloan nya sa PAG-IBIG Fund noong nakaraang buwan. Hindi pa mandin niya naibibili ng mga kailangan nila sa bahay nang masungkit pa ng magnanakaw ang kanyang bag, dahil nakalimutan nilang i-lock ang bintana sa kwarto. Ang masaklap pa ay nandoon sa wallet niya ang kanyang mga ID, ATM, at iba pang mahahalagang papeles. Wala siyang magawa noong panahong iyon kundi umiyak, dahil yon lang ang perang inaasahang niyang pambabayad din sa mga utang nya sa kaniyang co-teachers at ang matitira ay panggagatos sa pamilya. “Itong talent fee kong ito, siguro ang kapalit ng perang ninakaw sa akin.” Wika ni Mercy sa kanyang sarili, sabay huminga siya ng malalim at maluha luhang tinitigan ang mga kumakaing anak at asawa. Pilit niyang iniiwas  ang kanyang mukha kung akmang tititigan sya ng kanyang asawa o mga anak para di nila mapansing napapaiyak na sya…

            ITUTULOY………….

Sa mga maglilike po at magsheshare… abangan po ang susunod na Chapter in 2 weeks… Salamat sa support… Totoo ang kasabihang… Kapag nababasa mo ito, pasalamatan mo ang iyong guro…. See u again…

TEACHERS IN YOLANDA AREA STILL WAITING FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER ASSISTANCE

November 7, 2017

Four years after the devastating typhoon hit Visayas provinces; teachers have yet to receive the promised emergency shelter assistance (ESA).  This was revealed by the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) in a forum in Quezon City today. 

“We received reports that the full amount for emergency shelter assistance for most of the teachers especially in Tacloban City and Leyte has not been released as of the moment. The amount covers the government employees whose houses have been declared either fully or partially damaged.”  Benjo Basas, the group’s chairperson said.

The group also said that most of the teachers who received the partial amount were asked to liquidate the full as a pre-requisite for full release.  In some cases, in Eastern Visayas State University for instance, the administration initiated the provision of financial assistance to its employees but later on, the COA ordered them to return the funds. Meanwhile most of the teachers who are beneficiaries of housing projects have not been moved to their respective units.

TDC Rejoinders to Sec. BRIONES

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition
“Unity of Teachers to Regain the Dignity of Teaching Profession”
SEC Registration Number: CN 2007-10645
Diam cor. Gen. T. De Leon, Valenzuela City
Telefax (02)4446564 • Mobile: 0916-6126739
Email: teachersdignity@yahoo.com.ph • Website: http://www.teachersdignity.com/


MEDIA RELEASE
October 24, 2017

   TDC’s Rejoinder to Sec. Briones*

*Sec. Leonor Magtolis-Briones’ reaction on the earlier statements from TDC and other groups on the matter of the abrupt deductions made by the DepEd in their salaries was published in a news report from the Manila Bulletin, October 24, 2017 quoting her in a forum with press people, Kapihan sa Manila, October 23

SLMB: “Teachers, themselves, know that they are over borrowing and they know that they’re at their limits and that the only reason they get P4,000 net is the GSIS loans are not being deducted,” Briones, Professor Emeritus, National College of Public Administration and Governance of the University of the Philippines, explained.

TDC: If a teacher reached the limits, then why the DepEd thru the respective Authorized Approving Officers (AAO) of the field offices allowed and approved the loan application? The pay slip of a loan applicant will be assessed and the AAO will determine if the teacher or any borrower has the capacity to pay the loan amortization. That means if the monthly salary of a teacher will be reduced to less than the mandated NTHP, then it should not be approved. The DepEd thru its RPSUs are tasked to collect the monthly loan amortization for the GSIS and for other PLIs, then they are at fault of the collections were not made.

Clearly it is a violation of the DepEd’s own rulesstipulated in DepEd Order No. 38 itself:
“The DepEd Authorized Approving Officers (AAOs) must be stringent in certifying or providing confirmation with the GSIS on the NTHP of their DepEd personnel.  The AAOs shall educate the DepEd personnel on the consequences of applying for loans with various private lending institutions (PLIs) without considering their capacity to pay.  Every day of delay on payment of loans shall mean imposition of penalties and accrued interests by the PLIs and the GSIS.
The role of the AAO for GSIS loans is to provide confirmation that DepEd borrowers have sufficient NTHP before their respective loans are granted by the GSIS”
SLMB: Contrary to TDC’s claims, Briones said teachers are informed way before collection. ”The circular is widely circulated and for both PLIs and GSIS, they have authorized DepEd to allow the deductions,” she said.

TDC: The DepEd Order No. 38 released in July 31 of this year, while circulated on the widely was never explained to the us. The Order is loaded with technicalities- both terms and procedures.

SLMB: GSIS, Briones bared is “complaining and are threatening to sue us and the teachers” if the unpaid amount of loans are not settled. “This is a challenge that we need to solve because we will be held liable,” she explained.
To date, Briones said DepEd has about 23,000 teachers that are about to retire and will not get any amount after because their GSIS loans are not being deducted. “Teachers don’t realize that these interest rates are being compounded,” Briones noted.

TDC: Again, the Secretary should ask herself, who is to blame? Teachers are tasked to teach but those who have loans in the GSIS have obligation to pay and that payment should be made by the DepEd, the agency of teachers tasked to collect money and remit the same to the GSIS. Why should teachers be penalized?
SLMB: For Briones, the best long-term solution to teachers’ over-borrowing is teaching teachers financial literacy. “We really have to institute financial literacy among our teachers,” she stressed. Teachers have to “make financial choices amongst themselves…it’s not as if the Department has created this problem and they are aware of this problem,” she ended.
TDC: We recognize the need for financial literacy program and, as we have earlier stated, we are willing to cooperate with the DepEd for this objective. However, how could one manege finances if he has none? The best solution is in the Secretary herself. She is mandated by law to propose funding for the welfare provisions of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers and provide for overtime pay, free health services, study leave with pay, cost of living allowances, higher salary grade, among other benegits. Yet, the Secretary did not perform her mandated duties. Worse, she stated in several occasions that teachers are not underpaid and underappreciated. If so, we will not need to pawn our ATM cards to make ends meet. We borrow because the salaries we are getting are simply not enough for a decent living.

We hope the Secretary will join us in our calls for a P10,000 across the board increase for tecahers and DepEd personnel.#
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Reference:
Benjo Basas
National Chairperson
09273356375

https://news.mb.com.ph/2017/10/24/teachers-decry-loan-deductions-from-salaries/

Wala kaming Sinahod?

ITO PO ANG SAGOT NG TDC SA ISYU NA YAN, ANG ACTUAL CONTENT NG SULAT NATIN KAY SEC. BRIONES NA NAIPADALA NGAYON LANG SA CENTRAL OFFICE:

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22 October 2017

DR. LEONOR MAGTOLIS-BRIONES

Secretary 

Department of Education

DepEd Complex, Pasig City

 

Greetings of peace!

Madam;

We would like to bring to your attention the urgent issue in the field in relation to the deductions made by the Department of Education (DepEd) thru the respective Regional Payroll Services Units (RPSU) for the salary of DepEd teachers for the month of October. This, according to our initial inquiries is in accordance with the DepEd Order No. 28, s. 2017 (Further Clarifications to DepEd Order Nos. 12 and 27, S. 2017 - Implementation of P4,000.00 Net Take Home Pay for Department of Education Personnel), which is based on Sec. 47 of the General Provisions of General Appropriations Act of 2017. Many teachers were shocked upon learning that the salaries they received for this month were below the net take-home pay of P4, 000.00, some received only P600 pesos. 

Madam, it is unimaginable that a teachers’ family will be able to live on a P600.00 budget for a month. While we recognize that teachers, or any borrower at that, have their obligations to the lending institutions, it is also clear in the rules that the DepEd is duty bound to ensure that teachers are eligible for the loans. Furthermore, the DepEd, thru the respective RPSUs has the obligation to effect the deductions for loan amortization as stipulated in the loan forms and even in the agreement of the DepEd with the private lending institutions (PLIs).  As to the public loan facilities under GSIS or HMDF or even DepEd Provident Fund, it is expected that the deductions for these shall be prioritized by the DepEd. Yet in many cases, deductions for PLIs were made ahead of the GSIS deductions, which is a violation of rules. Clearly these violations resulted to the present dilemma where teachers are deeply fallen in debt because of the compounded interests charged against them both by the PLIs and government loan facilities. 

Teachers have nothing to do with the implementation of these policies and they should not be penalized for others’ fault. This recent deliberate deductions below the NTHP is another big blow to the teachers and their families who are highly dependent on their minimum take-home pay of P4, 000.00 for a month of living. Given this situation, teachers will now look for alternatives to make ends meet, one of them obviously is again to plead to loan sharks which will perpetuate and worsen their already dismal economic situation. 

Madam, we recognize that there is a problem on the mindset of most of our employees in relation with financial management, but we also believe that this abrupt and unforeseen solution of the DepEd creates more problems than solution. May we appeal for your consideration to immediately suspend the implementation of the DepEd Order No. 38, s. 2017 and initiate the widest consultation possible so that we will all be able to discuss the situation in the field and come up with a better solution.

Finally, we are very much willing to collaborate with the DepEd management to promote and strengthen financial literacy for our employees.  But most of all, please be one with us in our struggle for a better compensation package specifically the P10, 000 across the board increase in the salaries of teachers and DepEd employees. 

  

Thank you very much! 

Respectfully yours, 

BENJO G. BASAS

National Chairperson

Regional Seminar ng LEAD-DEM sa Springfiled School - International, Matagumpay

Matagumpay ang unang Regional Seminar ng Leadership in Education Academy and Development o LEAD sa Pangunguna ng presidente nito na si Dr. Mario Lucero at Dinamic Educators of the Millenials o DEM, Philosophy Doctorate Students ng University of Caloocan City, sa pangunguna ni Thelmo Ado, Chairman,  sa Springfield School - International, Quezon City noong June 22, 2017. Ito ang kauna-unahang pagsasama ng dalawang organisasyon na naglalayong makatulong sa Kaguruan, Education Students, at iba pang nakalinya sa educational sector ng bansa.

Naging tema ng gawain ang Research Led Teaching and Emerging trends at Updates of K-12 Curriculum in the ASEAN Perspectives. Pinag-usapan dito ang research style and techniques, kasalukuyang kurikulum ng bansa, trends, at iba pa. Naging pangunahing lecturer ang kasalukuyang Dean of Education ng UP-Diliman na si Dr. Marie Therese P. Bustos.

Nasiyahan naman ang mga dumalo sa gawain at magagandang feedback ang ipinarating sa organizers ng seminar. Anila, magaling ang lecturer at hindi nakakasawang pakinggan. Kasama pa rito ang kaalamang kailangan nila sa kani-kanilang school.

Magandang simulain ito para sa mga organizer at inaasahan nila na tumagal pa ang kanilang samahan upang mas marami pa silang matulungan sa hanay ng kaguruan.