DRIVING THOUGHTS
“At the end of the day, behind every person in this room is a teacher who once nurtured our dreams. And if teachers can change the lives of so many, then we must do our part in changing theirs for the better.” Those were the inspiring words of Aniceto Sobrepeña, president of Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI), when he welcomed members of the National Teachers Month (NTM) national coordinating council, two days ago.
And with that, the group went to work to prepare for the NTM programs which start on Sept. 5 and ends on Oct. 5, to coincide with World Teachers Day.
It was my first time to join the council meeting, invited by Mr. Sobrepeña after a brief meeting during the Manila Bulletin 125 anniversary celebration. It was an honor to join the meeting — three hours of talks and workshops which revealed the initiatives a group of people from the government and mostly private groups to work on projects to support and recognize teachers around the country.
MBFI’s initiatives in recognizing teachers have been ongoing since 1985, with the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Awards that recognized four teachers, three soldiers, and three police officers every year. In 2008, the NTM program was launched in coordination with government, primarily the Department of Education (DepEd), and private sector companies.
“Sixteen years ago, the National Teachers’ Month started as a simple yet profound idea—a campaign to honor educators and uplift the teaching profession in the Philippines. What began as a humble initiative in 2008 has now grown into a nationwide movement,” Mr. Sobrepeña said.
This year, the essence of NTM’s advocacy returns to its former slogan – “My Teacher, My Hero.”
Mr. Sobrepeña said: “The line reminds us that teachers do not simply teach, but also inspire greatness, instill values, and ignite dreams. They do not wear capes, yet they change lives in ways that no one else can. But while teachers are heroes, they still need support. This is why the celebration exists—to remind them that their sacrifices do not go unnoticed, that their hard work is appreciated, and that they are never alone in their mission.”
The foundation’s council has counted 139 initiatives, led by its partners, majority of these training and workshops, discounts, gifts, and social media campaigns, Miguel Claudio Ragaza, program coordinator, reported.
According to the data of the council’s partners, their initiatives have supported 17,000 teachers through 20 capacity building activities. “These range from training programs for literacy, to workshops that discuss leveraging the use of AI inside the classroom,” Mr. Ragaza said.
The report also cited highlights of last year’s celebration. First, the support of the Department of Interior and Local Government which disseminated information about the NTM celebration to all governors, mayors, and DILG regional directors across the country. Second, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has released a memorandum circular to all bishops and dioceses, to pray the National Prayer for Teachers on Sept. 29, the Sunday closest to the National Teachers’ Day.
He also reported that the foundation had connected with museums to offer free admission and special guided tours, and with the Manila International Book Fair and publishing companies to offer discounts for teachers attending the event.
The efficient planning of the meeting included workshops that encouraged discussions on new initiatives for the NTM council. The programs that were presented by the six groups were extraordinary, considering the time limitation. Each targeted a way to support teachers through trainings that included AI, early childhood education, scholarships, and recognition awards. A technical committee will work on the ideas and will these will be further refined during the next meeting in June. The program will be launched during the NTM.
That’s how fast and efficient the NTM coordinating council works. Almost silently, except for a few press releases announcing the launching of its projects, the Metrobank Foundation has been working on giving back to the community.
This column will have a part two to discuss the issues that DepEd Secretary had brought up during the meeting. His interest in early childhood education needs a separate column.
For now, let me close with the words of Mr. Sobrepena who has led MBFI since 2006: “It is often said that gratitude is the language of the heart. But gratitude is not just about saying “thank you”—it is showing appreciation in ways that create real impact. Each of you here today has spoken this language through the initiatives that uplift our teachers.”
And that is what we hope to do, support the initiatives to uplift our teachers.