5,000 rally for “Education Revolution!”

By BEVERLY PAOYON

ALABEL, Sarangani (August 6, 2011) – Governor Migs Dominguez, Congressman Manny Pacquiao, board members, mayors and vice mayors led thousands of teachers and education revolutionists Friday (August 5) in the crusade for quality education to fight poverty.

Soldiers with military trucks and armored personnel carriers escorted the 5,000-strong marchers around the Capitol to mark the “Education Revolution!”.

The military trucks were loaded with 20,837 books to be distributed to Grade 1 and 16,621 for the Grade 2 pupils. These will cover the 230 elementary schools province-wide to meet the “1:1 ratio of workbooks,” QUEST program manager Annalie Edday said.

“We in the military have long realized that the real enemy in our society is not the NPA (New People’s Army), it’s not the bandits, not the kidnappers but poverty, the cause why some of our brothers were misguided,” said Lt. Col. Adolfo Espuelas Jr., commander of the 73rd Infantry Battalion based in Maasim.

Dominguez and Pacquiao delivered their speeches on top of armored personnel carriers flanked by military trucks carrying thousands of workbooks.

Recognizing poor education or none at all to be the root cause of poverty, Pacquiao challenged the educators, stakeholders, military, and local leaders to rise and knockout poverty together.

“Bangon mga Sarangan, sama-sama nating puksain ang kahirapan. Ipaglaban ang kinabukasan ng bawat kabataan… Kaya nating i-knockout ang kahirapan,” Pacquiao said.

For his part, Dominguez said for 18 years education has been a big challenge for Sarangani. However over the past eight years, he said, reforms have continuously been undertaken until 39 new primary schools were opened, 55 primary schools turned into complete schools and additional 31 new integrated schools have been established.

He told the teachers they are the inspiration of the local officials to work even harder but urged them to “always keep in mind to continue the passion and inspiration (of teaching) dahil ang lahat ng ginagawa ninyo araw-araw ay para sa mas maliwanag na kinabukasan para sa ating probinsya.”

Sarangani has many private partners for education. Dominguez said the secret why a lot of assistance has been pouring into the province is because of “credibility and integrity.” He pointed out the need for a clear return of investment for every peso Sarangani receives as aid.

“As long as there is a single child who is left behind, dapat tayo lahat hindi tumigil in our passion to serve and to educate each and every child,” Dominguez said.

The provincial government has been aggressive in its campaign towards quality education thru Quality Education for Sarangani Today (QUEST), a local program following a reformed education agenda that engages local governments, the Department of Education (DepEd), parents, teachers, and community leaders in the collective accountability to improve the performance of school children.

Dr. Allan Farnazo, schools division superintendent, quoted the governor’s policy direction that “it takes a village to raise a child” and stressed that “it is not the teachers’ sole responsibility to teach the child but everybody’s business.”

“The future of Sarangani depends on how best we can educate the children today,” he added.

Part of the division’s 18th foundation anniversary Friday was the “Education Revolution!: Karunungan Kontra Kahirapan” or the Literacy Against Poverty campaign.

This is the second year for QUEST to organize the “Education Revolution!” in partnership with DepEd. (Beverly C. Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)