By Merlina Hernando-Malipot The Department of Education (DepEd) enjoins all schools, both public and private, to hold “meaningful, simple, and doable” activities in celebration of the Filipino Values Month (FVM) this November. DepEd, through Memorandum No. 166 series of 2018 issued by Undersecretary Atty. Nepomuceno Malaluan, said the observation of the FVM is celebration is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 479, s. 1994. With theme, “Mapanuring Paggamit ng Gadyet: Tungo sa Mapagkalingang Ugnayan sa Pamilya at Kapwa,” this year’s celebration “emphasizes the critical and responsible use of technology to ensure the development of interactive communication, interpersonal relations, personal and family, social and civic responsibility.” The celebration, Malaluan said, “aims to create moral awakening and national consciousness on human values that are unique, genuine, and positively Filipino.” The observation of FVM, he added, also “seeks to mobilize Filipinos for nation-building by actualizing human values in their daily lives as citizens” and to “awaken all in the power of values and ideals in achieving the individual and national goals.” Malaluan stressed the FVM celebration also “sustain and revitalize the practice of caring for others, treating others with respect and dignity, and assisting others to become better persons starting from the family.” DepEd enjoined all public and private schools to “hold essential and meaningful activities in partnership with other stakeholders to affirm and show relevant Filipino values in practice as this nation advance technologically.” In the guidelines on the conduct of the FVM, DepEd noted that school activities related to the celebration must not limited to “having contests or competitions but exhibits of talents and innovations on creative arts such as poster and slogan-making, poem, song, jingle or story composition, symposia or seminars, film showing or stage play on current issues related to the theme, acting out alternative interventions exemplifying positive Filipino values as we aspire to be developed and giving recognition for exemplary behavior of students and school community partners/members among others.” \ DepEd regional offices and school – through consultation and collaboration with stakeholders – are directed to plan and conduct activities that are related to the observation and in accordance with DepEd Order No. s. of 2015 or instituting measures to increase engage time-on task in teaching. DepEd said that support fund amounting to P100,000 will be downloaded to each of the regional offices “to support the activities, including the development and reproduction of advocacy materials” anchored on the theme for the national observance of the FVM. DepEd said its Bureau of Learning Delivery (BLD) – through the Teaching and Learning Division (TLD) – in coordination with the regional and division offices shall continuously support the FVM celebration through “monitoring, provision of technical assistance, if needed, feedback and conducting review of the implementation” of the activity to “ensure sustainability of promoting Filipino values all year round and throughout the country.”