Best for the System

Region III’s imminent implementation of the first Regional Integrated Competition (RIC) warrants commendation for its time-on-task and cost cutting aims. On October 22 to 26, students and teachers in the entire region will lay bare their wisdom in the different learning areas as they try to outwit one another in various competitions set in the RIC. These competitions, which were once held in different months of the year, are merged in a week, in the belief that expenditures for these competitions will be dramatically trimmed down.

This notion is entirely true and its intention is pure. Imagine the amount of money each division will save for the registration and travel costs of the participants. Instead of investing such amount to different fees and expenses that are collected for the operation of the various competitions, it will be more beneficial if large amount of funds, intended for the contests are diverted and endowed to institutional backlogs of each division. With this, not only few “performing” students are being profited but also those who dire need to improve more.

Let’s quickly do the math. In the Regional Schools Press Conference alone, which is usually done for three days, each division or local government in some instances pays for not less than 2,000 pesos for the registration fee of each participant. If a division has an average of 130 participants in both elementary and secondary, as always the case, an amount of 260,000 pesos will be spent. But with the one-day RSPC, only 500 pesos for each participant will be collected and it will only cost each division 65,000 pesos. This amount is only 25 percent of the 260,000-peso registration of each division. The 75 percent or 195, 000-peso savings is good enough to procure 975 armchairs or 650 books and other instructional materials. This will lightly mend the countless backlogs in the school system and this is what the RIC is aspiring to achieve. 

Likewise, since the RIC will make use of the one-week semester break of the students, the time-on-task goal of the region will be intensified wherein no classes are to be disturbed and teachers are to engage in worthwhile activities. Before, when contests are held separately, classes are being suspended just to give way for the preparation and conduct of the contests. At the end, it is the students who suffer from the lost days that they should have consumed for their studies in school instead. Teachers also endure going to schools on Saturdays to pay for the lost days; Saturdays that they should have spent with their families instead.

Truly, RIC is a new reform in the region that only thinks of what is best for the system. While it is strictly to be followed by the officials, teachers, and students in each division, they also expect for its uncompromised implementation. It should retain the spirit of competing, losing, and winning so that each participant will have something to be etched in his memories of experiences. By then, the execution of RIC will fully deserve the acclamation not only for its time-on-task and cost cutting aims but also for making a learner experience to become a winner and a battler.

Welcome For Various “Anothers”

(This is the welcome address delivered by Lara Ginella Fontanilla in her Commencement Exercises at Little Merry Hearts Montessori Center, March 30, 2011.)

As each pair of eyes of the witnesses of today’s event radiates with gleeful excitement and a bit of sadness, I can say that this occasion is indeed momentous. And that sight in each pair of eyes deserves a warmest salutation.

Therefore, beloved parents, caring faculty and staff, dear classmates, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 25th Commencement Exercises of the school that emerges in relentless pursuit of excellence, our school, Little Merry Hearts Montessori Center.

Welcoming you today is not as easy as ABC. Welcoming you today is not merely a word of invitation. In reality, welcoming you today is tantamount to the realization that we are being welcomed to the next transition of our lives, not only our parents, not only the faculty and staff, but also us, classmates.

Welcome beloved parents, for you will be enduring another phase of sacrifice in order to provide us, your children, better future.

Welcome adored faculty and staff, for again, you will be honing another group of pupils to become better member of the society, just like what you did to us.

Welcome classmates, for we will be venturing another different journey; a journey that leads to better life. Though it may sound a cliché, but truly, this day does not mark the end; it marks the beginning.

Now that everybody is already welcomed, I hope that we are not threatened because nothing really is to be threatened about. What we just need to succeed is to put everything in the equation. God plus parents multiplied by the wisdom and values imparted by our teachers minus negative behaviors equals SUCCESS.

If we can able to solve the equation I can boastfully say that as we look to the eyes of the people in our next commencement exercises, the same bit of sadness and gleeful excitement radiate from them; making the event momentous.

Good day and Godspeed to all of us!

A One-Minute Speech Of An Hermano Mayor Of A Town Fiesta

Ladies, folks, and gentlemen.

It has been a great pleasure seeing you gathering in this certain place to enjoy every bits of delight that are in store in our annual festivity. Your presence keeps my heart pounding with joy, for your very presence proves that once again, we’ve become successful in carrying out this event.

But the credit of this success is not solely claimed by yours truly. This has been the product of the cumulative efforts of our public servants in our municipal hall, government and private institutions, and you, the people of this beloved town. To this, I must say congratulations for a job well down.

As we continue to get pleasure from our celebration, we should not forget the reason why we congregate here today. We should not forget He, who gave us bountiful blessings. We should not forget that we are doing this as our unique way of thanking Him and we are bringing back the glory unto Him. For the next years to come, I know that we will keep forward towards more intense prosperity because we have Him.

Happy Fiesta!

Eventhough We Are Children

(This piece is an original composition used by Camp Tinio Elementary School 2010 Jazz Chanters who ranked 2nd in the District IV competition)

Hey! You!
Hhhhmmm? Hhhhmmm?

Hey! You!
Me? Me?
Are you calling me?

Yes, children, all of you.
I want to know what you can do,
Millennium goals to be pushed through.

We, at young age?
We, being little?
We, only children?

Well, well, well.
Eventhough we are young,
Eventhough we are little,
Eventhough we are children,
There are so much we can do!
That is very true.

We can be good citizens. Good citizens.
We can have healthy lifestyle. Healthy lifestyle.
We can plant more trees. More trees.
And we can pray, pray, pray.
For poverty to go away!

Together, together, we can push through it together.
Achieving millennium development goals.
Eventhough we are young,
Eventhough we are little,
Eventhough we are children,
You can count us in.
Mark it!

Hey! You!
Me? Me?
Yes, you!
Come and join us too!

Straight News Reporting for DepEd Hour

News in the Context of DepEd Hour
Just like any other news, reports to the DepEd Hour remain to be factual, and truthful accounts of past, present or future events.
As much as possible these reports need to be developmental to foster positive outlook towards the program, the division, and the schools where the reports come from. Although there are some negative concerns and issues that need to be clarified, the presentation of these issues and concerns still lead towards progress.

News That Fits DepEd Hour
Not all news fit DepEd Hour. Only pieces of news that concern with the department, division, and schools have places in the broadcast program. And we can classify these bits of news based on the following classifications:

• Scope
Definitely, school news and community news which are linked to the endeavors of the school cover the range of news to be reported in the program.
Likewise, relevant national and local news about educational matters which directly affect educational stakeholders are also suited.

• Chronology/Sequence
Advance or anticipated news, follow-up news, and routine news story are apt in DepEd Hour.
Advanced or anticipated news comes from expected or foreseen events that will happen like contests and prognosticated school activities.
Follow-up news is a sequel to a previous story. School projects and improvements can be the source of this kind of news.
Routine news story covers usual pertinent school activities like academic programs and events, celebrations, enrolment, and others.

• Structure
Two structures well-matched DepEd Hour. These are the straight news and the news-feature.


DepEd Hour’s Straight News Reporting
The first part of the DepEd Hour program is the straight news reporting. In straight news reporting facts are delivered straightly without adornment. To inform is its foremost aim. The summary lead, which answers right away all or any of the 5 W’s and/or the H, is usually used and the facts are presented in a decreasing importance.

If diagrammed, the structure of straight news report will be like an inverted triangle wherein the most important facts are presented in the first paragraph, which is the lead and the body is consisted of the elaboration of the facts mentioned in the lead.

Kinds of Summary Lead
1.Who lead – This is used when the person involved is more important than what he does or what happens to him.

Example: Naiuwi ni Ronalyn Balangat ng ikaapat na Distrito ng Sangay ng Cabanatuan ang ikatlong puwesto sa Strategic Intervention Material Grade III Category sa katatapos na National Science Quest na ginanap sa Laguna.

2. What lead – This is used when the event or what took place is more significant than the person concerned in the story.

Example: Sinimulan na ang taunang pang-Sabadong klase sa Matematika ng MTAP at DepEd sa dalawang centers nito sa District IV para sa mga regular na estudyante sa elementarya.

3. Where lead – This is used when the place is distinctive and no prominent person is involved.

Example: Nakatakdang ganapin sa Malolos City ang Central Luzon Regional Athletic Asociation o C-L-R-A-A ngayong darating na ika-20 hanggang 25 ng Pebrero na dadaluhan ng mga manlalarong atleta sa elementarya at sekondarya ng buong rehiyon tatlo.

4. When lead – This is used when the date is the most important fact in the story.

Example: Nakatakda sa ika-dalawa at ika-apat ng Marso ang taunang National Achievement Test o NAT para sa mga mag-aaral sa ikatlo at ikaanim na baitang.

5. Why lead

Example: Bunsod ng patuloy na pagtaas ng bilang ng mga estudyanteng nagkakasakit ng Dengue at upang hindi na maulit pa ang kaso ng pagkamatay ng isang mag-aaral ng Camp Tinio Elementary School dahil sa Dengue, nagsagawa ng fogging ang Department of Health sa Camp Tinio Elementary School kamakailan.

6. How lead

Example: Gamit ang tamang timbre ng tinig, napasakamay ni Rosanna Flores ng Bagong Sikat Elementary School ang gintong medalya sa Masining na Pagkukuwento sa katatapos na Pampurok na Paligsahan sa Read-a-thon sa Filipino na ginanap sa Bakod Bayan Elementary School.

Suggestions in Writing the Script for Straight News Reporting

1. Find the most interesting angle of the story.

Example: Below are two different summary leads. Which one captures the right news angle?

Lead 1.
Matapos ang dalawang taong pagiging mailap sa kampeonato, sa wakas ay muling napasakamay ng Camp Tinio Elementary School ang pinakamataas na puwesto sa Drum and Lyre Band Competition ngayong taon na ginanap sa NE Pacific Mall noong Sabado.
Lead 2.

Napasakamay ng Camp Tinio Elementary School ang pinakamataas na puwesto sa 12th Drum and Lyre Band Competition na ginanap sa NE Pacific Mall noong Sabado.

2. Always present the facts in a decreasing importance.

3. Avoid editorializing and writing libelous materials.

4. Since DepEd Hour is a TeleRadio program the source or attribution is mentioned in full name for the first time, the surname for the second time, and the person’s position or title for the succeeding paragraphs. Avoid using Ma’am or Sir in addressing a person. Instead use their position like Architect, Doctor, Chief or simply Mister or Miss.

5. Complex numbers are better mentioned in their rounded form. For example, instead of saying Php 6 987, one can say “nearly 7 000”. (include examples in Filipino)

6. Letters or syllables in the acronyms are better separated by a hyphen for the reporter’s easy reading. Example, Dep-Ed, D-P-W-H, N-G-O, etc.

7. Watch out for errors of fact and grammar.

8. Avoid starting the sentence with the articles, pronoun, and/or “pantukoy” in Filipino. Better start with a verb.

9. Use the active voice, not unless the receiver is more important than the doer of the action and refrain from using “di-karaniwang ayos ng pangungusap”.

10. Always follow the ABC in writing, i.e. accuracy, brevity, and conciseness

Queries

1. How long is a DepEd Hour’s single straight news report?
Answer: A single straight news report takes a maximum of two minutes and ideally not less than a minute.

2. Approximately how many paragraphs are consumed in a single straight news report?
Answer: Roughly five simple or compound sentences are enough for a one-minute straight news report.

3. Does the one-sentence-one-paragraph rule necessarily be observed?
Answer: Yes. But, if two connected ideas are hard to join by conjunctions and/or connectors, a two-sentence paragraph can be accepted.

4. Should the use of summary lead obligatory in straight news?
Answer: Yes. Because the summary lead tells right away the important facts of the news. Using novelty leads are better used in news-feature.

5. How is the inclusion of direct quotation possible in the straight news reporting?
Answer: Usually, if one opts to include quoted statement in the news story, a video clip of the interview is inserted right after the paragraph which it substantiates. Direct quotations are helpful in stressing facts and claims.

6. How should the straight news report be ended?
Answer: A reporter’s “extro” that goes “Ito si (name of the reporter) ng (school or office of the reporter) sa pamamatnubay ni (name of the adviser) nag-uulat para sa Dep-Ed Hour ng D-W-Dobol-J, RadyoBisyon” usually ends the report.

Anecdote to The Educator

Almost all in my The Educator batch believe that writing is an innate talent. And they proved it for they were able to write articles as easy as ABC.

As for me, I always struggled coming up with a qualified article to be published simply because I am not an innately-talented writer.

I remember the only published article that I could claim mine was the news article about the Art Exhibit in 2006 as part of the Education Week celebration. The rest of the articles that I submitted were entirely edited that they looked not my articles anymore, though my name still appeared as the byline.

Despite being “handicapped” I am always grateful and proud that I became part of The Educator family, for it is where I was pushed to improve and become a living proof who will contest that writers aren’t born but made. And I owe it to the Educator for making the writer in me.

Freedom of Speech for Peace and Order

(This article appears in the CLSPAA Chronicle, An Online Publication of the Central Luzon School Paper Advisers Association)


Nuisances were uttered as this year’s Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) commenced which demonstrated the lucid exercise of freedom of expression.

Fuss about basic commodities which span from beddings and lighting to food and water supply became the topics of everybody’s liberty in expressing his opinions, protests, and pests.

As everybody is free to express his opinion, everybody becomes at no cost blame the people in the billeting school, the host school, and the host division in general.

But isn’t it that freedom of speech a right that aids in preserving peace and order? Then why one threw irritations and faults that lead in wounding one’s heart and ego?

We, as a group of people in the core of Luzon definitely want our schools press conference a peaceful and an orderly endeavor. That is why if one will only raise his grievances in a grievous and humiliating manner, then his exercise of his liberty to bring out what he thinks and feels is off tune to what the real essence of freedom of speech meant.

With this, it is better to understand what one lacks of and be grateful to what is offered than to fuss and speak irresponsibly that leads to uproars and disorders.