Aside from giving cash incentives to student achievers, the Antipolo City government is also giving recognition to educators for their dedication to their profession.
The office of Mayor Casimiro ‘Junjun’ Ynares III said scholarship incentives worth ₱80,000 are being given to educators in public schools in the city for being “Huwarang Guro” (outstanding teacher) awardees. The scholarship award is intended for the educator’s financial assistance should the teacher intends to pursue a post graduate education.
The awarding ceremony for the teachers takes place during the school’s commencement exercises.
In a graduation ceremony held on May 29 at Teofila Z. Rovero Memorial Elementary School (TRMES) in Barangay San Jose in Antipolo City, the city government cited the achievements of one of the school’s educators - Teacher Jasmin Dy - a Grade 5 Science teacher.
Dy, who has been a Grade 5 teacher for 15 years now, aside from getting the ₱80,000 scholarship, also received ₱5,000 as cash incentive from the city government for being an outstanding teacher for School Year 2023 to 2024 at TRMES.
In an exclusive interview with Manila Bulletin, Dy said she was very grateful to the city government for giving due recognition, not only to student achievers, but also to teachers, who are the ones honing the learners into becoming successful individuals in the future.
City Vice Mayor Josefina Gatlabayan, a retired teacher, and City Councilor Dr. Ian Masangkay, represented Mayor Ynares during the awarding ceremony which was held during the commencement exercises of TRMES.
Dy has been serving as a Science teacher in Grade 5 at TRMES for 13 years now after being assigned for two years at Upper Kilingan Elementary School (UKES), a public school located in an upland community dominated by the Dumagat families in Barangay San Jose.
She was also an awardee in 2018 in the Story Book Writing Competition by the Department of Education wherein her story book, “Si Tintin at ang Pasaway na Langgam,” was chosen as the winner.
Dy also recalled her experiences and challenges as a teacher of the Dumagat natives where she had to find all available resources just to teach the lessons to her students in the manner that they can easily understand.
The female educator also recalled introducing a cake roll to her Dumagat pupils at UKES during a school party wherein she was surprised to learn that some of her students had never tasted a cake before.
The educator said what also inspired her to love her profession was when she learned that one of her former students had graduated Cum Laude and is now a professional.
“Nakakatuwa kapag nalalaman mong naging bahagi ako ng kanyang tagumpay bilang isang guro (It was delightful to learn that one of my former students is now pursuing her chosen path,” Dy said.
The 'Huwarang Guro' awardee, Teacher Jasmin Dy (third from right) is flanked by Antipolo City Vice Mayor Josefina Gatlabayan (left) and City Councilor Ian Masangkay (second from right) along with Teofila Z. Rovero Memorial Elementary School head, Luningning C. Tapales (extreme left) and other school officials.
Relly Bernardo of the office of the mayor said that under the Ynares administration’s incentive program for public school learners is the giving of financial assistance to the academic achievers- the Natatanging Mag-aaral awardee, ₱60,000 scholarship for elementary; ₱20,000 for junior high school; ₱80,000 to ₱160,000 for senior high school; and ₱5,000 to ₱1,000 for the Top 5 achievers.
The Agimat Partylist is also giving ₱2,000 cash incentive to their chosen academic achievers.
The monetary incentives for the public school learners, however, are not given on the spot during the graduation ceremony, but are distributed during a scheduled pay-out in order to achieve the program’s goal of easing the financial burden of parents for their children’s education.