More books and good news!

Posted by HERBEL SANTIAGO and SHYLYNNE CASTILLO on 28 August 2011 | 1 Comments

August 28, 2011, 8:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The true measure of good education is when our students finally learn how to learn for themselves, even without the teacher’s supervision.

For this, a functional and well-equipped library is a must.

This was what Reynaldo F. San Diego, officer-in-charge on overseeing libraries of the Department of Education (DepEd) has said, echoing the belief of the educators, present during the inauguration of Mines Elementary School library last Aug. 9.

Months shy from AHON Foundation's sixth year anniversary, Mines Elementary School is the foundation's 47th adopted library. A day before, AHON also opened its 46th library at Francisco Legaspi Memorial Elementary School.

Spirit of volunteerism

Because their respective public schools are endowed with very little resources, Mrs. Vernalisa Libanan, principal of Mines ES, and Mr. Gregorio de los Santos, school head of F. Legaspi Memorial ES, have to be extra resourceful in mobilizing support from the teacher, parents, and the community.

“I employed division of labor. I assigned specific tasks and specific parts to be developed to teachers, under the supervision of their grade level chairperson. I also mobilized the parents to provide manual labor, etc. Since the tasks
has been divided, developing the library became easier,” Mrs. Libanan shares.

Indeed, the library that was once dust-streaked is now gleaming clean.

What was once dark and chaotic has been transformed into colorful and child-friendly learning resource centers. Equipped with bookshelves, reading niche and artistic murals, the library looks like a page torn from the book itself!

To complete the newly renovated libraries, AHON provided brand new reference books and set it up with the help of the faculty members and the parents.

“Ang gaganda ng mga libro. Aside from the books na talagang babasahin ng mga bata, AHON also donated other learning resource materials like activity books in Math and English, ‘yung Walter that talks, sings, provides additional information and teaches correct pronunciation, etc. We could use this as supplements in our classes, like in the speech lab. It’s a big help to us teachers,” quips a very grateful faculty member from F. Legaspi Memorial ES.

Book of hope

Last July 30, the first volume of The Kaya Natin! Champions:Inspiring stories of good governance and leadership in the Philippines was launched at Fully Booked. The book, a project of the Kaya Natin! Movement and the Ateneo School of Government, is a compilation of 10 stories of “champions” for good governance who have embodied the values of effective and empowering leadership with integrity.

Each chapter tells the story of one individual, from their background to their political career and their leadership lessons.

These former and incumbent officials are part of the roster of Champions of the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, a movement that supports progressive-minded, effective, and ethical government officials and is dedicated to promoting the best practices of each champion to other local government units.

Among the hailed champions featured in this one-of–a-kind publication are Kaya Natin! co-founders Jesse Robredo, Grace Padaca, and Ed Panlilio; former Mayor Sonia Lorenzo (San Isidro, Nueva Ecija), Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, Rep. Teodoro Baguilat, Jr. (Lone District of Ifugao), Rep. Bolet Banal (Third District of Quezon City), former councilor Mabel Sunga-Acosta (First District of Davao City), Mayor Roque Verzosa, Jr. (Tagudin, Ilocos Sur) and Board Member Shirlyn Macasarte (North Cotabato).

Kaya Natin! lead convernor Harvey Keh said the corruption and other transgressions in the Philippine government can actually be alleviated through a rigorous advocacy on good governance.

That is why this leadership book not only targets those who are currently in the position, but also the youth, who will later succeed in governing the nation.

To get the youth more involved in this movement, students and young professionals were trained in good governance writing workshop and then tasked to be biographers of the book.

“The objective of this book is to highlight the positive and inspiring stories of political leaders who are doing good for the country, and how this can help bring about empowerment for ordinary Filipinos who also want to make a difference,” Keh says.

The Kaya Natin! Champions: Inspiring Stories of Good Governance and Leadership in the Philippines Volume 1 is only one of the few projects of Kaya Natin! movement.

A second installment of the book, featuring another set of inspiring good leaders, is set to be worked out soon.

The Kaya Natin! Champions book is available in Fully Booked nationwide or may be ordered via knmovement@gmail.com.

AHON Foundation, on the other hand, relies on donations and volunteerism. To help us continue the work that we are doing, we accept donations in cash or in kind. For more information, please e-mail ahonfoundation@yahoo.com and look for Ms. Herbel.