Leadership Camp in Calbayog City

`Maupay na pag-abot sa Calbayog!” This is the first greeting I have heard from the town folks in Calbayog City domestic airport as we touchdown the city. Maupay means good in English, so here it was just so perfect to describe the simple yet a very humble paradise city located in the western part of Samar province. It is a city to be where you can find the Ciriaco Hotel and Resort which has become our home for six days. It has its world-class amenities like the pavilion and its pools to its delicious foods which is served in a buffet style.

I with our chaperon Sir Junner Mal-ang an ALS (Alternative Learning System) mobile teacher and the three other Zamboanga del Sur participants stayed in Calbayog City for Padayon Mindanao`s Youth Leadership Camp from June 29-July 5, 2014. Padayon Mindanao is USAID funded and Peace Corps` iniative to advocate peace on the country.

In my six days inside the camp the lecturers have trained us to become good leaders in the community we are into like in our community at school, in our family and in our society. The topics discussed were about literacy skills example on writing a letter to the barangay chairman for a community based project support and a resume and a bio data if you need to apply for a job. On the increasing understanding of civic-engagement we have been asked to list down all the possible dilemmas in our community and being taught on how we can volunteer ourselves to help whole heartedly. On strengthening linkages and understanding among Filipino youth we have tackled issues such as teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and how would it be lessen in our country.

The last 2 days was an immersion training on what we have learned from the lectures. We had planned, designed tasks and lead a leadership camp in the different barangays in Calbayog City. My group the Team Legal White was assigned in Barangay San Joaquin with the leadership of our Peace Corps volunteer Thomas Sanborn, the Mindanao counterparts Ma`am Shermahal Yusop and Ma`am Wannang Dadong with our team leader Geraldine Elican and my team mates together with Sir Joeffil.

I have attended numerous camping activities and seminars during my elementary and high school days but the Calbayog City experience with the youth leaders-the learners from the ALS curriculum of Department of Education and some in school leaders was the most unforgettable.    

As an individual I have learned that things happening around us like the problems in our community needed action and all it takes is someone to step forward and make a stand. I have learned that empowering will start with self-respect and self worth. All in all I would like to borrow Dr. Jose Rizal`s words that “I am a Filipino and I am a citizen of the world.”

I`m looking forward to work with the Department of Education and Bureau of Alternative Learning System now that I`m in my 4^th year in pre-service teaching and be able to share this experience to my future colleagues and students. Hanggang sa muli maupay na panang ila natong tanan!

 Photo credits: Padayon Mindanao: Leadership Camp staffs 

My Idea of a Perfect School (Pre-service Teacher View)

This must be a learner centered institution that has a well-rounded mission and vision statement for the holistical development of the learners. 
The teachers must be a LET passers and have the personal and professional attributes that are passionate to teach the pupils not only in the cognitive level of learning but also with the psycho motor and affective domains of learning. The administrators like the principal must also capable of leading the teachers in the activities that will enhance the teaching and learning process.
A perfect school is when the pupils are comfortable to learn new things, laboratories should be present so that pupils who are doing the experiments can perform at ease. The classroom must be well-lighted and well-ventilated. This must have proper structuring that will also help the pupils be motivated to learn seeing calm aura of the classroom. It should have a standard number of occupants per room to avoid a crowdedness.
The facilities are also present and functional like chairs and tables are enough for the pupils and a comfort room is a must in each classroom. A small library must be there to develop the pupils genuine love for reading be develop at that early stage. There must be a audio-visual devices like television set, computer with projector to aid the learners in learning especially in the subjects which they are least motivated.
Aside from that it is also important to have a supportive stakeholders that includes the parents to support the teachers` and pupils` endeavor to attain learning and the community leaders that will prepare for funds and financial support for the future improvements to attain learning in an easy way for teachers and a fun way for students.

Rating: 
Gunning fog index=15/15 sentence quality= 14/15