by Marian M Banquillo
It's Saturday! For most of us, it is just an ordinary day but not for Marissa, a mother of five. Like the other members of the Aeta community of Matag-ub, Janiuay they always look forward for this day with eagerness.
Marissa is just one of the members of the Aeta community who can barely read and write. She also has difficulty in identifying Philippine currency and lacks computational skills. This lack of basic skill is taken advantage of by some of her unscrupulous customers who buy her goods from her such as like brooms, talisman and liniment oil. During elections, she has to ask the assistance of COMELEC officials to cast her vote. She also finds difficulty in filling up forms in the remittance center and can hardly figure out simple documents.
The Aetas belong to the marginalized sector of our country. They are often exploited and ridiculed because of their illiteracy. Most of them lack formal education. Based on the need assessment conducted by the Extension of the School of Teacher Education at the Aeta community of Matag – ub, Janiuay, 25% have no formal education and 55% are elementary graduates who can barely read or write. Some children often drop out of school before the school year ends because they accompany their parents to hunt, look for raw materials for their products or help them sell their wares.
Thus, it is in this premise that the Kaalam Ko, Ikabuhi Ko project was born. It was the brain child of Dr Leny A. Quintilla, SOTE Director and the Project Leader, Mrs Romelyn B. Lam SOTE Extension Coordinator and Mrs Eleanor L. Cornal Chair Filipino Department.
Kaalam Ko, Ikabuhi Ko is a functional literacy project designed for the Indigenous People [IP] of Janiuay. The basic components of the literacy program comprised the reading and writing in English and Filipino, filling up simple forms in remittance center like Palawan Pera Padala, biodata and other registration forms and basic computational skills. Environmental awareness, values education and health and sanitation were also included.
The project has a budget of Ph 100,000.00 that covered personal services and maintenance and operating expenses. There were donors who helped by donating cash or in kind like instructional materials, hygiene kit or snacks for the recipients during the activities.
Volunteers from the faculty of School of Teacher Education and education students from different school organizations and Student Council gave their time, skills and expertise as well as resources to help the recipients of the said project.
In the duration of the program, the recipients were divided into groups. One group was composed of children and youth, and the second group was comprised of adults including the parents and grandparents. The young ones were taught of personal hygiene, values education and care to the environment. In addition, a remedial class was conducted by the student teachers to help slow learners. On the other hand, the adults were not only taught the basic skills of writing, reading, computation and also smart parenting.
To encourage them to continue attending the activities, snacks were provided and awards/rewards were given to diligent participants. In every activity, an attendance sheet was provided to monitor their presence.
Without so much ado when Marissa saw Mrs Romelyn Lam SOTE extension coordinator, excitedly exclaimed “ Mam.... nagpadara ang bata ko kang kuarta sa Palawan waay na ako nagpatudlu sa gwardya mag pil up ka porm kay kamaan don ako. Dasig man lang gali. Nabuol ko dayon ang kwarta. Salamat gid sang inyo pagtudlo kanakon. Abi mo mam gintudluan ko si Marit kay nagpaiba kanakon kahapon sa Palawan. Hambal ko gani kana amo ra kay sagi timo ka inabsent.”
Marivic the friend of Marissa has a different story to tell, “Abi mo Mam ginhambalan ko ang nagbakal kanakon kang silhig nga insa kulang man dya ang ginbayad mo, abi mo kanakon indi ako kamaan mag isip kag mag sensilyo kang kwarta?”
Mr . Shelord Fernandez proudly claimed that the activities for the children helped them improve their school performance. “Hanggud gid ang nabulig sang extension sa mga kabataan kay indi na masyado ako nabudlayan kananda mag tudlo especially sa reading. Tapos nakaparigos na sanda kon mag eskwela kag mag abi abi kon may mga bisita. Salamat sa school supplies nga gin tao kay at least indi na magbakal ang mga parents. Salamat man gali sa mga basurahan nga gin donate. Ang mga bata kamaan na kon diin ibutang ang anda nga basura.”
Implementing this literacy project made a difference in the lives of our less privileged fellowmen. Their outlook in life changed. They have improved their self confidence and dignity. They can be no longer undermined and labelled as “mango, pwede ma into or matunto.”
“Ay salamat, Sabado duman, maagto duman gya ang taga West”. May pamahaw duman karon!
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