#Dapaw: Official Entry to the 9th Mindanao Film Festival

#Dapaw is a short narrative film about Jessica Bustamante, a typical millennial who is a newly hired public school teacher assigned in remote Brgy. Dapaw.

While Jessica tries to be the best teacher that she could be, it is her new environment and her pupils have become her "teachers" for the real lessons of life. HEr assignment has opened her eyes to the glaring issues of poor quality education, insurgency, poverty and the seeming neglect of the government in the area. 

Watch it here:

Mindanao Film Festival to showcase Guerrilla Films

 

Guerrilla Filmmaking Workshop attendees with mentor direk Arnel Mardoquio (6th L). Photo: Mindanao Film and Television Development Foundation, Inc.

Local filmmakers gear up to showcase this week short and full-length films in the 9^th Mindanao Film Festival.

This year’s MFF to be screened at Cinema 5 of Gaisano Mall of Davao from December 4-10, 2013 is said to be record-breaking with over 50 entries from across Mindanao.

Among the competing entries are five short films and two animation films as output of the 11^th Guerrilla Filmmaking workshop conducted by the Mindanao Film and Television Development Foundation, Inc (MFTDFI).

Guerrilla films are made by independent filmmakers with low budget, minimal equipment, skeleton crews and mostly unadulterated ambient environment.  The batch 11 filmmaking workshop attendees were given two weeks to submit their film for screening.

One entry is “#Dapaw” is a short narrative film of the experiences of the young teacher assigned in a remote public school. Being the techie-city girl, the main character Jessica Bustamante is astounded as she swirled in the realities of poverty, lack access to social services and the seeming neglect of government in the area her assignment.

 “Panyawan” talks about the waning family values especially the respect for the elderly. Nanay Sally, started a sojourn to visit her three children living in the city. After a long time of not seeing them, she expected warmth and loving affection but to her disappointment she was met with rejection.

  

"Panalipod Onlayn" is a short film that shows the effects of children's privacy when parents expose them too much to the online world.

"This Ring" is a short film about a married couple on the brink of breaking up and is forced to come in terms with their own marriage at their only daughter's wedding. The film was inspired by a recent survey that there is a growing number of broken marriages in Davao City.

“Lutaw” is a story military men and the politics and scandals that hound the institution.

The animation films included “The Mouse who could Fly” depicting the a mouse which conquered the skies and “The Imagination of Mr. Reil”  revolves on a story of a lone man and his imaginary friend who teaches him to appreciate and value the things around him.

The guerilla films are blocked together for its screen on December 5 (1:30PM), December 6 (7:30 PM the Gala Screening) and December 8 (8:00PM).

9th Mindanao Film Festival

The Guerrilla Films: Lutaw, Panalipod Onlayn #Dapaw, Pnayawan and the Ring

Magnificat: The Musical Envagelization of Faith

Magnificat cast performing the last song of the play.

The ways of evangelization is evolving, and one college in Davao City dares to bring onstage the Gospel through music and dances.

Through the musical play billed as Magnificat: Joy of an Encounter, the Gabriel Taborin College of Davao (GTCD) in Barangay Lasang put onstage the ensemble of more than 60 students to be Gospel characters, choir members and dancers to a theatrical performance that revolves on the central theme of faith.

Bishop Emeritus Fernando R. Capalla express his admiration to the play.

“The Gospel has come to life.”

This was how Bishop Emeritus Fernando R. Capalla described the musical in his short message at the end of the play.

Capalla said the messages of love, forgiveness and faith were clearly delivered in every portrayal, which brought him to tears.

“The musical play was the contribution of GTCD in the closing activities of the Catholic Church’s universal celebration of the Year of Faith,” said Executive Director Bro. Davide del Barba, FSF.

Mary, sings Magnificat Anima Mea Domonum

The Catholic Church in the world celebrated the Year of Faith from October 11, 2012, to October 24, 2013. 

Inspired by Mary’s canticle (Luke 1:46-55), the musical was originally in Italian language borne from a summer workshop of the Brothers of the Holy Family in the early 1980s. In 2003 the first English version was staged in the Philippines through the efforts of Bro. Davide del Barba, who is also the musical director of the play.

After 10 years, the English version was revived, now aligned to the Year of Faith celebration and in time also for the 150th death anniversary of Bro. Gabriel Taborin, the founder of the Brothers of the Holy Family.

The play opened with the solemn rendition of “Credo Domini,” the Year of Faith’s official hymn as Cavanis Fr. Arman Bacalso led the renewal of vows of baptism.  The musical, which run for one-hour and 30 minutes, portrayed the characters in the Gospel who are the source of inspiration and examples that exemplify faith.

The Samaritan Woman

Among the characters were the Samaritan woman who gave Jesus water from the well and where Jesus opened her understanding that God is the water that “quenches the thirst” forever.

The teacher of the law Nicodemus came to see Jesus at night in secret so he could not be seen by the crowd talking to Jesus. In the meeting, Jesus has taught Nicodemus that he should be reborn in spirit and become a child to enter the Kingdom of God. The scene posted the strong challenge of renewal.

The Adulteress

The stories of the disciples Peter, Judas and Mary Magdalene kindled the question of how strong the people’s faith is to God and the challenge to overcome temptations and win the grace of God through faith.

Jesus’s healing of the blind man Barthimeus was symbolic of how the people are blinded in many ways, and that it is the man’s faith that heals himself. While the story of the adulteress, who was condemned by the public, evokes forgiveness.

Peter

The feel-good scene of Zaccheus, the tax collector, a sinner whom Jesus dined with, gave comic and uplifting relief to a heavy message of renewal and giving back to the community.

And ultimately, the model of faith, the story of Mary as she praised God singing Magnificat anima mea Dominum (My Soul Magnifies the Lord), where Mary proclaims the Lord’s greatness with humility and grace. The song connected to audience well that one could feel praising God with the song.

Resurrection Scene

The whole story was stitched together with the character of the present-time teacher who met Gabriel, the institute’s founder, and how they relate the story of the Gospel into the present situations of the community of faithful.

The enthusiastic response of the audience motivated the Brothers to have a repeat performance on November 29 for a humanitarian cause. Proceeds of the ticket sales will entirely go to the victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda.

“We are happy and proud of what we have produced,” del Barba said. “Convinced that this form of new evangelization through music and dances is a powerful way of conveying Jesus’s message to the new generation,” he added.

The Brothers of the Holy Family dubbed themselves as educators of the youth since 1835.

The Cast and production crew acknowledge the applause of the audience.

#Dapaw

#Dapaw  is a short narrative film of the experiences of the young teacher assigned in a remote public school. Being the techie-city girl, the main character Jessica Bustamante is astounded as she swirled in the realities of poverty, lack access to social services and the seeming neglect of government in the area her assignment. 

A Guerrilla Film which competed in the 9th Mindanao Film Festival. 

Lyndon’s: Davao City’s “Nega-Star” Resto

Lanang Branch.

Food has never been marketed in a bad taste, but Lyndon’s --- a Barbeque restaurant in Davao City seems to be getting the attention by doing the unconventional.

Lyndon’s marquee banners World’s worst ribs and awful chicken as star of their menu. With that catch, curious foodies flock to taste the world’s worst food.

Negative appeal ads have never quiet effective as employed by this local barbeque house. The resto might not have that “box-office” queue of patronage but with the lunch I spent in the resto, I observed people come and go: couples, groups, and individuals. And at night time too,

showed they really have parishioners. 

Also in their menu are the Disgusting Steamed Tilapia, Wild Scallops , Tadyang ni Ruby, the Tasteless Pansit Canton, Horrible Mechado Rubbish Caldereta and many more ugly tasties.  

Now, does their barbeque really taste that awful?

Well, that’s reverse psychology applied. Their hefty, let me say generous, serving of the world’s worst ribs and awful chicken wasn’t bad at all. Not really extraordinary to the taste but the tender meat with especially concoction of a sauce makes it a contender for a one of the more tasty barbeque around the city.

Affordability: Just like many of the barbeque resto in the City, Lyndon’s is very affordable.

Place and Ambience: Simple. Nothing fancy. Just the way I like it.

What more? I suggest you visit one of their branches.

They have three branches in the City, one in Roxas Avenue, one in Bajada which they will be closing starting September 1, and the one we tried out  the Lanang branch.

Soon they will be rolling out more ugly menu names of Seafoods Paluto and  Organic food such like roasted Duck, native chicken & native pork meat cooked on their trademark Adobe Pugon.

The worst ribs of the world was on my plate.

Meeting the Main Man of Albay: Gov. Joey Salceda

Candid Gov. Joey Salceda

This DavaoEye had the chance to visit, for the first time, Legazpi City in the Province of Albay.

I was there together with my workmates to undergo training and experiential exposure for climate change adaptation. Albay is said to be the only province in the country which has instituted climate change adaptation even establishing the Climate Change Academy (CCA).

Apart from the excitement of seeing Mt. Mayon for the first time ("live and in person") in all her glory, I was also hoping to meet the main man of the province, Gov. Joey Salceda.

Like Mayon, I have only seen Gov. Salceda (real name: Jose Celmente) on TV interviews and in newspapers when he became Congressman and especially during his stint as one of the cabinet members (or was it economic adviser) of the Arroyo Administration.  I admire his wealth of experience and knowledge in politics and economics. I think that his brainchild economic policies are still in effect in the present administration. 

While our itinerary included courtesy call in his office, I felt it was really impossible to meet the man because at that time, it was the first day of office of the newly elected local officials. I was pretty sure his schedule was loaded. 

But call it a warm welcome of Albay, at around 2:30 in the afternoon, in the middle of our thunderstorm topic in CCA, there was a sudden commotion outside, then the two-panel door entrance to the lecture room opened and revealed the tall, dark and umm... all-business boss of the province in a yellow with gray-striped Tommy Hilfiger polo shirt. Smiling and said some sort of greetings.

With no formal introductions and so much formalities, he welcomed us and dived to his presentation discussing economic directions of Albay and how he was able to overturn the kind of budget prioritization Albay had in the previous administration. 

Evident intelligence in his every utterance of words, the governor talks with so much ardor but not boasting.

I could not tell how we were mesmerized at him while he was talking. But when I looked around, I saw many, if not all the participants of the training were just listening with mouths opened  as if they saw an apparation of the Black Nazarene!

Bless me father! DavaoEye and the Man

 He talks candidly about politics, economics, RH bill, crisscrossing between religious and political doctrines and dogmas, business, theology then back to climate change. He killed the boredom of that unholy afternoon. 

He was right when he said, "not to serve food while I am talking because I am food enough" to which we all agreed.

More than just being enough food, he was a goldmine of fresh ideas and better economic perspective. I may fail to elucidate further the kind of the atmosphere he created during his two-hour intelligent discourse, but it was so much fun and insightful. 

I was lucky to have met one the people I looked up to. It was a once in a lifetime experience for me. 

My Albay adventure was complete. Seeing Mt. Mayon and meeting the main man of Albay. 

Salamat warm Albay. Salamat Gob!

Mt. Mayon and the marker in Brgy. Padang to commemorate the thousands of bodies, yet to be found, during the Super typhoon Reming in 2006.

 

Viral

Photo: http://www.empowernetwork.com

There are so many things going viral these days. They range from disease to videos to written opinion and even quotable quotes.

About two weeks ago, my son’s pediatrician ruled out dengue diagnosis for his high fever. She said it was viral infections as lab results (which we did twice, and twice the pain for us parents seeing our kid under that nasty needle) showed that everything was ‘normal.’

This was the second time doctors referred to “viral infection” as there could be no other basis for his high fever. Similarly, my son’s cousin, about 4 years of age, was also diagnosed with systemic viral infection. 

When lab results reveal nothing beyond normal, it's viral infection then. Or, is it really, doc? 

Thanks to paracetamol, fever was gone.

So moving on...

The recent and most talked about viral these days is the video (they refer to as scandal) of Parokya ni Edgar lead vocalist Chito Miranda and his girl friend.

They said it was like wild fire on that fateful Friday night when the video was uploaded on Youtube.

It was sensational.

Miranda, who never denied it was him and her girlfriend, called  the incident “foul.”

Why do some people take video of themselves doing the most private of things? Is it because the narcissistic persona in us has overtaken our rational being and prod us to do things without caution? Or maybe it's the  twisted, perverted, imprudent part of the person who care less of the repercussion of their actions?

If there was no video, there would have been no video to upload. There would have been no scandal that went viral. A scandalous video that ruined 'life' and reputation. In this case, most particularly for the part of the woman.

However, I cannot pass judgement on them for what they did and what has happened.

But I can only condem the people who shared over and over again the video. What values do you have? Have you no morals to think whether it was appropriate to share it or not especially in FB timeline where anyone, even our children, have easy access to it?

Such a dismay, my friends.

But then, there are positivisms, too, going viral also in FaceBook. 

I've seen the video posted but shelved the idea of viewing it since it was not "sensational." I could view it anytime, when I get bored, I told myself. 

The first time I saw it posted the 'share' count was just around 100+. But today, it has reached 66,000++. 

 

Have you seen that video of Ateneo Alumna who is now teaching in a public elementary school in Quezon City.

Sabrina Ongkiko delivered what to me a very poignant, realistic and inspiring words about public education and the noble teaching profession in public schools.

Her words, the sincerity of it and how she delivers it with a heart could tell you how proud she is as a public school teacher.

I salute every public school teacher. My sister, my cousin and many of my friends are dedicated public school teacher. I’m proud of them.

They are doing their utmost to provide the best quality education despite very limited resources. I am proud of them

I thank you for your service.

I for one is a proud product of public education. I am proud of it. 

The Ire of Duterte Loyalists

A friend of mine, a well-educated woman, wrote her mind out in her blog about the recent tragic incident in the city. 

The way she presented her ideas on democracy, democratic governance and society, and human rights were done in a simple, sensible and civil manner hoping maybe she could shed light and present the other (mostly overlooked) side of the coin and provoke a productive reaction. 

Claiming it as her personal view, the article also had a tone challenging the manner how the local authorities handled the situation. No local media here, in my personal opinion, has ever written such a poignant article that "touched raw nerves." 

Despite the seemingly enlightened discourse of her blog entry, it was totally antithetical to the opinion of the majority of the netizens especially those living in Davao city and who are 'ardent supporters and trancedly loyal' to the current mayor and those who idolize Duterte even if they live from afar. 

When she gave permission for her blog entry to be uploaded on a Davao-based news website which has about 8,000 Facebook followers, the chaos began. 

The netizens' reactions were anticipated. But it was not the scholarly, productive discussion thing that took place. What came in were the rave of maniacal, rabid and blood-thirsty tongue-lashing netizens ready to tear her to pieces. 

Only a handful appreciated what she was talking about and commended how she bravely pointed to us the "more lawful" direction; and for showing that not all has yielded to that rising Culture of Impunity. 

There was name calling: idiot, ignorant, non-sense, they even called her a whore.

Did she deserve all of that? Hell, no! 

No one deserves to be chastised for speaking his or her mind out. She was talking of the commonly recognized but never understood, much more, practiced (esp. Davao city) concept of 'due process' which many of us might not fully comprehend due to our limited exposure and education. The concept of democracy and due process ,after all, cannot be appreciated in the streets.  So ironic, I guess, since we won our democracy on the streets.

Her distaste for the people's rejoicing over the public execution of the "criminals" was perceived as support to criminals and their act. With it, they wished her ill.

She wrote, she bled.  

But she deserved nothing of all that negative vibes and stress. 

I believe she got better education than most of those who lambasted her. She was way above their league, so to speak.  She is in the position to write what she wrote.

Given it was on the public domain like internet, and feedback is a component  of democratic dynamism, she took the reactions with a grain of salt. (If it were me, I could have treated it with a load of sh*t.)

The article (a blog entry, not a news story just to be clear) was not at all offensive. It talked about the rule of law, of the justice system however frustrating the process maybe, of human rights, of being civil and being human. If only our minds are open and our eyes are not blinded by hypnotic following of whoever has influence on us. 

Personally, I think the reactions were bordering somewhere between insane, comic and hopelessness. Some of them, only confirmed what she wrote, about how the scary culture of impunity has slowly crept in the consciousness of people. To give you an example, here's one:

".... Davaonos are different and our mentality of justice is different for a reason. We don't waste time in killing, yes KILLING criminals because the rest of the country is ineffective and completely incompetent in dealing with such matters...." - from K****** Marfori.

 Scary. Just Scary. 

Now, a lesson or two can be learned from my friend's experience. But, I appreciate how calmly, civilly, bravely and intelligently she handled the situation she was in.

At the end of the day, what is important is we stood by the principles we believed in. We have chosen which side we favored, for not choosing between the "white or the black" is tantamount to being dead.

Well, life continues. A beautiful one is ahead of us.

Consenting to the Culture of Impunity

(I have forgotten about this blog. The blog which I intended to write feel-good stuff about Davao City and maybe about Mindanao. But now I might shift to writing more than just the feel-good things.)


It was the recent "shootout" incident in Davao City that prodded me to find a venue where I could vent out my thoughts on the issue. 

That fateful Thursday afternoon, I got my hands busy juggling with things both at work and personal matters. I had no idea what was happening in downtown Davao. When I logged in on my FB account, a seaman friend of mine, as of this posting was in Russia, sent me a PM asking on news about the shooting incident near Allied Bank in Claveria Street. (That seaman worked in Allied Bank before).

As I had nothing to share with him, I "Googled" it and searched possible FB accounts which might have info on the matter. My little research revealed me this info: 

Three suspected members of a kidnap-for-ransom group were killed in a shootout with police authorities in Davao City. Two died on the spot while the other died at the hospital. The shootout occurred at a bank in Claveria where the kidnap victim, who was accompanied by her abductors, was supposed to withdraw the P15 million ransom at around 12:30 p.m.

....Manhunt operations against the 10 other suspects who escaped on board two vehicles are still ongoing. Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has issued a shoot-to-kill order against the suspects.  (News Excerpt)

And then, the flood of pictures and video, so gruesome I cannot believe people, most of them residents of Davao, were applauding them, sharing them on their FB timelines.  One newly elected politician posted the graphic video (shared more than 13K times the last time I checked) captioned with a harsh warning to criminals and would-be criminals messing in the city.

Either they felt victorious that bad elements were gunned down in their city where the Mayor pledged to keep them safe and secure by going after criminals and law offenders; or to show support for the local authorities, or for the sake of joining the bandwagon at that moment (another fleeting internet phenom.) Whatever reasons they have, I think it was so twisted to hit me to the core and led me to ask myself, "What has become to the people of Davao?"

I felt aghast at how they accorded praises to whoever they thought it was due, how condemning they were, and how "proud" they were of the bloodbath.  

(I opt not to post screen captures of FB postings as examples, since they are my friends and even relatives. We have dissenting opinions to the issue.) 

I am with you guys; yes, they are criminals, like those kidnappers, are menace to the society. But we are a community of human beings. We have laws. And criminals they maybe, they have rights granted to them by the democracy we all enjoy. 

So, where is the due process?  Whatever happened to it? We just couldn't kill anyone summarily. We cannot allow ourselves to become ruthless animals. 

I am pretty sure you will point out the "rules of engagement." They-shoot-first, police-fires-back. I've thought of it too. But hey, are we that intolerant to yield to the easy-way of getting things done. Remember they got the others inside the bank, right. 

I live in Davao City for half of my life, I have benefited from the strong hand of the local government against criminals. It made me feel at peace and secure. I am thankful. But it doesn't change my opinion on summary executions.

The incident was not a fictional entertainment. More that the actually shooting and killing, it involved realities of how we perceive democracy and the benefits it afforded us;  our reverence to human rights, or to basic grain of respect to human being. 

The local media was on their usual news stunt: straight, just-the-fact news of the incident. They were doing their job. I am not in the position to question them, but I was hoping for them, as the so-called fourth estate of the society, someone could have raised the question on the culture of impunity. And their stories to delve on the accountability of those in authority, just to provide the balance to the information being circulated among the masses; to help provide a clearer picture as to how people should critically create opinions. 

But none so far. This is a scary picture, that's all I can say.

Our actions and reactions, the causes we support, the ideals we fight for are a matter of personal values, morals, the kind of education we get, and the kind of society we want to live.

Should we condone the Culture of Impunity?

Let me hear your thoughts, too. Please leave a comment. Thanks.

Dance Reload: Davao del Norte’s ultimate summer performing experience (2010)

A charming Hawaiian dancer.

Just when everyone thought summer is fast-fading, the banana capital of the south splurges a colorful and artistic flair to end kids, youngsters and parents’ 2010 summer experience.

As hot as the feverish summer temperature, performances of Curay Dance and Arts Workshop (CDAW), Panabo City ’s premiere dance and arts studio, elevate a notch higher.

 

The jam-packed Panabo gymnasium and the excited crowd were a witness to the grace, style and creative choreography as the workshop graduates pay tribute to classic Disney themes, modern beats and Broadway musicals in various dance acts.

 

Unlike others, this was not just another summer workshop. CDAW dance and art classes have become a recognized dance institution in the area with 22 years of training and workshop experience under its belt.

 

The Dances

This year’s recital is themed Dance Reload. The center stage is once again loaded with fresh talents, new discoveries and developing potentials among the 180 workshop graduates who grabbed the spot light.

 

Chicago Remake. A scene from the musical "Chicago." 

Each dance category shining one from another as performers as young as two and as old as 42 years old gracefully strut their stuff.

 

The audience wowed to the ballet skills of the kids enrolled in baby and advance ballet classes to the interpretation and tribute to Disney’s princesses Snowhite, Ariel of Little Mermaid, Jasmine of Aladdin, and Belle of Beauty and the Beast.

 

The fluid hip sway exaggerated by the smooth ripple of the colorful grass skirts accentuating the bewitching Hawaiian dancers charmed the crowd.

 

And then there was jazz. Their remake of some of the most memorable parts of the Catherine Zeta-Jones’ hit musical Chicago was as passionate and as artistic as the original.

 

Never to be outshined was the energy of the modern genre of hip-hop dancing.  What with futuristic costume and heart stumping arrangement of today’s hottest beats the hip-hop dancers exploded like real bombs.

 

While the sensuous and energetic belly dancing and Dancesport were equally enthralling performances.

 

Teakwondo and Dancexercize

The night also highlighted taekwondo and introduced this year “Dancercise.” 

 

As a sport for all sexes and ages, taekwondo has its own string following. The martial art was featured as defensive rather than an offensive skill. While dancexercise showed a body-toning activity from the combined impacts of the dancing and exercise.

 

 

Darling: Panaobo’s mother of performing arts

“It’s the same excitement and enthusiasm year after year,” enthused Darling Curay, CDAW owner and over-all aesthetic director.

 

Her management degree from Ateneo de Davao University might have been put aside in awhile when she opened the studio in March 1988 to give way to her heart’s desire for performing arts.

 

Darling, as she is popularly known, said because there were no performing schools before, her various dance trainings with well-known performers, exposures in stage and theater and additional degree in Physical Education beefed up her credential as performing artist.

 

“As with my experience in CDS, this is not as profitable as the other well-known dance schools (in nearby Davao City ),” Nanay Darling, as she is fondly called, told this writer.

 

“It’s all for the love of performing arts  and my vocation to share my talents together with my other dance instructors which makes the blood-life of this studio,” Darling added.

 

An advance ballet student shows how penche is done.

CDS’ students are aplenty during summer classes. That’s why she focused classes during this period. Although trainings are conducted in some other time of the year, but mostly the studio is lent to her dance scholars for their practices especially during seasons of competition.

 

“Our main objective is to nurture, develop and enhance the ability and talent of every individual and inculcate in our students appreciation and valuing of art and the artist,” she said.

 

She said every year they are faced with the perennial problem of finding sponsors, one reason why in some years they did not have grand recital. It was only in the recent past people started noticing and eventually appreciated their efforts in performing arts.

 

“I think we have the most affordable dance lessons. But I always make sure that the studio hires the best dance instructors to provide quality training each year,” she proudly said.

 

“I am just thankful that my family is supportive of me as well as to all my dance instructors who share in my passion (for performing),” Darling said.   

 

Surely as Dance Reload has shown, this banana capital in the south, a potassium rich-city has worked up its muscle to have an overload of dancers and performers.

 

And without doubt, the 2010 summer dance and arts workshop of Curay Dance Studio will be poignantly etched to memory even for a lifetime.

Scholars pay tablecloths for their diploma

Bro. Davide Del Barba (center) is flanked by the lady scholars of the Gabriel Taborin College of Davao with the intricately designed tablecloths as their backdrop. These tablecloths are the token of the ladies to their schoalrship sponsors.

Education is not cheap but some lady scholars pay only tablecloth for their diploma. 

In exchange for the generosity of their virtually unknown sponsors, some graduating lady scholars of Gabriel Taborin College of Davao (GTCD), in Lasang, Davao City ingeniously did the laborious needlework of intricate designs on tablecloths as a memento of their enormous gratitude.

“This is a fruit of our labor and passion in the spirit of thanksgiving to our benevolent sponsors,” says Cyrene Molina a scholar, graduating from two-year hotel and restaurant management course.

GTCD named after the French founder Gabriel Taborin was established in 2001 as the only Catholic technical/vocational  school in the region aimed to help indigent but deserving students, has now blossomed to a tertiary institution offering Hotel and Restaurant Management as its flagship  four-year degree course. 

The school’s Executive Director Bro. Davide Del Barba said that the students’ sponsors are private institutions and individual donors mostly from abroad.

“This is our special way of saying thank you to their respective sponsors whom our lady scholars will not probably see personally,” said del Barba.  

Among the sponsors of the students include the American Women’s Club of the Philippines, the Assisi Foundation, Cuore Amico (Friendly Heart) an organization from Italy,  and private individuals mostly from Europe “who generously help the least privileged  students in our mission here,” del Barba added.

Del Barba himself is an Italian missionary of the Brothers of the Holy Family who arrived to the Philippines in 2000 and in the following year established, then a technical/vocational school, with the strong support of Archbishop of Davao Fernando R. Capalla.

These lady scholars are also called “dormitory ladies” because they avail of the dormitory service that that the school provides since 2004 solely to ladies coming from far-flung areas. Since then at least 150 students have benefited from the service.

In the dormitory, ladies have to pay minimal amount which covers for their lodging, food, security personnel, and dorm in-charge. And part of their tasks is to learn the skill of embroidery.

 “The embroidery activity of the ladies is part of their tasks as scholars of the school and as ‘dormitory ladies’ to learn new skill and earn extra income since they are paid for their labor,” said del Barba. 

To improve the quality of their work, the school tapped the voluntary services of needlework hobbyist Ms. Theresa Valdevieso from Colombia , Mariela Chacon and Gladys Miranda both from Panama who said that there are at least 16,000 kinds of stitches to learn.

Charisse Diaz of Sindaton, Panabo City said she did not just learned embroidery skill but also patience and time management.

“Time management is very important,” Diaz said. “We need time to study our lessons, make our school requirements and finish our tablecloths for one semester (five months),” she added.

According to Diaz, embroidery is no way easy job, “our back aches, eyes sore and to come up with the best and most unique design we research in the internet and books.”

 “Even if we were repeatedly punctured by the needle, we continue to work because this (work) inspires us,” added another graduating ‘dormitory lady’ Venus Amor Agad.  

Cyrene Molina stands by the tablecloth she made for five months.

  

Recently, the school put up and exhibit showcasing the ladies final work.

“We have already sent some of these to their respective sponsors and I am really happy for the positive feedback,” del Barba uttered.

Further he said that there had been request from private individuals (commonly foreigner) to buy the products but “this is particularly made for our sponsors, should they want one they must sponsor one of our scholars too,” said del Barba.

 

“With what has become of our scholars and of the school I can say that we have lived up to our motto: in prayer, work and love, you will find peace,” del Barba said.

Learning life's skill on Sundays

GRADUATED. Assumption College of Davao - Sunday College Program has helped a number of working individuals get tech-voc diploma, a ticket for gainful employment. Kristine Neniza here is among the 170 graduates 2009 graduates of the Sunday college program.

Kristine Neñiza receives her diploma, marches up the center stage, and takes a bow.  However that simple bow didn’t quite reflect whatsoever the story behind that piece of paper in her hand, for a diploma on a Sunday College is in fact not a walk in the park. 

“Naglisod jud ko oi, dili lalim (I really had a hard time, it’s not easy),” Kristine said.    

And not only Krisitine can attest to that, but there are at least 170 graduates of the Assumption College of Davao (ACD) - Sunday College Program. Each has a dream to fulfill, a determination to succeed and heart-warming stories to tell.

Brave Kristine 

After a semester as working student, Kristine got sick and decided to go back to their town in Kapalong, Davao del Norte. Determined to finish her two-year computer programming course, she did not abandon her Sunday college with her parents supporting her financial needs. 

Kapalong town is about three-hour ride from Davao City where jeepneys and buses are particularly scarce in early morning. To promptly attend to Sunday’s school time which commence at seven in the morning, Kristine has to face the ordeal of her travel. 

She has to wake up 1:00 am (on Sunday) while every one else is sound asleep, prepares herself for school to catch the first trip of jeepney at around 2:30 am bound for Tagum City . In this trip, she rides a long with the baskets of farm produce and the bunch of empty fish buckets. Kristine is left with no choice but to take this trip since the next trip is scheduled at 5:00 am., which surely make her tardy in school. 

By 4:00 a.m. she’s in already in Tagum and usually arrives at school by six in the morning. Come 9:00 in the evening, the class ends and by then hopes to catch a bus going back to Tagum. Since there is no jeepney plying the route to Kapalong on late night, she has to wait up until 4:30 am (by this time its Monday already) for the first trip back to her town. 

Kristine has braved through this ordeal for almost two years.

“I did that for more than a year,” Kristine said. 

“What made it more difficult was the fact that I have to bring everything that I need, books, P.E. uniform, rubber shoes, school requirement, some extra clothes,” showing her two packs of paper bags. 

“Mura ko’g moilayas, (I seem to stow away)” she quipped. 

The Sunday College Program

“Indeed the Sunday College Program has helped a lot of students to finish at least two-year college tech-voc education,” says ACD President Sr. Marieta Banayo of the Missionaries of the Assumption (ma).  

Banayo said that when they opened for the Sunday school for college, her sisters in the congregation were not as optimistic as she was. But her confidence with her faculty along with Dr. Rinante Genuba the tech-voc program director, she took the risk. 

“It was one of the risks I took as President of the school. We did not know what will happen, my sisters where a little skeptic. But I had faith,” Banayo added.

“We had the idea of opening the Sunday college when some employers of our Sunday high school graduates,  approached us and asked whether there won’t be a Sunday college for their “kasambahay” to enroll and continue their education,” she said. 

“As president I know it will entail big financial responsibility but it also made me think  bitaw no, after they graduate in high school,  unsa naman sunod? (what’s next for them?). So I decided to heed the call,” giving a nod as she said.

She disclosed that they had been outlining their plans since 2004 but it was only in 2006 when ACD opened the Sunday College Program for two-year courses of Hotel and Restaurant Management, Computer technology, programming and secretarial. 

The Sunday college program had around 200 students for their first batch, “not bad for a start,” Banayo said.

“But the following school year was a big shock for us. A wave of enrollees we did not expect came to the school, even if we did not really campaign for the program,” Banayo blurt out. 

“At certain point, we even closed enrolment since our classrooms and laboratories cannot accommodate yet the number of students,” she said. 

Option for the poor

“Through this Sunday college program, we continue our preferential option for the poor,” Banayo said stressing that the congregation (Missionaries of the Assumption) stamp their mark to favor the deprived sectors in the community.

She said that the program is intended to help poor but persevering students get a college diploma with the best quality education and training they can use for gainful employment. 

“Around 80 per cent of our students are full time working individuals like “kasambahay” (house help), food crew, and others and Sunday is there only time to go to school,” she said . 

A number of them are graduates from the school’s Sunday high school program who wanted and are determined to continue their studies.

 

Transformative education

“We continue to provide the same quality and brand of transformative education for our youth which is to create socially aware individuals in a just and humane society,” she stressed. 

With the aim to provide topnotch training, ACD availed of a loan through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) provided by Asian Development Bank (ADM) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM). They used the fund to establish air-conditioned classrooms and state-of-the-art laboratories. 

“Part of providing life transforming education is to provide, affordable and superior skills training through modern facilities and competent instructors,” she said. 

“Our instructors, who are both TESDA and CHED certified, share our vision of providing transformative education that the Assumption ( College of Davao ) is known for,” said Banayo. 

On the issue of affordability, Banayo said that even if today’s prices of energy, water and other services are hitting high, the school maintains very affordable fees “and we will not have tuition fee increase next school year.” 

Hopes and Dreams

For Kristine “life commences a new beginning and the world has opened up for more opportunities.” And she hopes to tread life much better now with the skills she learned from the school.   

Meanwhile, Sister Banayo eyes ACD’s expansion as it will open a day and night program for regular college students and the more slots for Sunday Program to help realize more dreams and continue to provide gainful life skills on Sundays.

circa@2009