Licensure Exams

"The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Board for Professional Teachers (BPT) announces that 10,243 elementary teachers out of 45,171 examinees (22.68%), 6 Accelerated Teacher Education Program (A.T.E.P.) graduates out of 216 examinees (2.78%) and 13,125 secondary teachers out of 41,729 examinees (31.45%) successfully passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (L.E.T) given last September 25, 2011 in 18 testing centers all over the Philippines."


source: http://www.prc.gov.ph/news/?id=217


Another year, another set of examinees, another set of licensed educators (on the slim side), another set of failed hopes and shattered dreams (on the other)...


This year's grim LET result is not new. Last year (September 2010). the national passing rate was also below 50%: 19.58% for the Elementary; 7.21% for ATEP; and 25.86% for the Secondary. That same year (April 2010), there were only 15.44% passing rate for the Elementary; 3.67% for the ATEP, and 23.32% for the Secondary.


While there is an obvious increase in the percentage of passers in the Elementary and Secondary levels, the percentage of passers in the ATEP fell sharply. I can't help but I ask myself, "6 out of 216??!!"


Spell TRAGEDY.


For almost 3 years now, I have been monitoring the results of LET, and I have always wondered as to the reasons behind the unacceptable results. Of course, one can point his or her finger to everyone: to the Teacher Training Institutions, to the professors, to the students, and even to PRC itself. However, this unfortunate event has a lot of possible roots. Various questions may arise, such as: 


1. What kind of graduates have we been producing?
2. What kind of students do we have these days? What are their priorities and what motivates (or de-motivates) them?
3. Who teaches (mentors) our teachers? Are they qualified? Do they know how to teach?
4. How do TEIs implement the curriculum for Education majors?
5. What kind of support does the government provide to Teacher Education Institutions?
6. Is there something wrong with the NCBTS (National Competency Based Teacher Standards)?
7. Where does PRC get its questions? Do they validate it? If so, does that mean that the Board Exam itself is not valid?
8. What actions or steps does (did or will) the PRC undertake?


The list of questions may go on, and the list of answers may grow more ambiguous. But one thing is for sure, if this trend continues, we will have a shortage of public school teachers and a surplus of teachers who will be employed by "small" schools (which, most often than not, thinks of profits rather than education itself, sadly).


That's IF they will still have the motivation to teach... Worst case scenario is a disheartened education graduate who would turn to other (odd) jobs local or abroad, instead of trying it out again and stay in the teaching profession. Underemployment looms. 


I can't help but ask (again): How much advertisement (or encouragement) do we give to our youth? How much appreciation do we give to our teachers (both the "good" ones and the "not-so-good ones")? Do we encourage them to stay and teach (anyway, they will hopefully develop their teaching skills or attitudes)? Or do we push them away because we don't "like" them? Or because they did something "wrong"?


I know the problems. I even know the ill effects of this to the quality of education that our country will have in the next few years. But I admit that I do not know the answers. 


I may have some solutions in mind, but who cares?

BACOLOD Travel Tips

This would be my first ever "travel blog" (so to speak).

Last October 17-18, 2011, Kay and I had the privilege to attend the ALLT National Conference, which was held at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City. Aside from the tough times we had trying to prepare and "polish" our presentations, finding our way going to Bacolod was equally challenging (but it was fun!). The internet proved to be a very helpful source of information for novice travelers like us.

Similar to how we got to Pagudpud, Kay and I also browsed a number of websites and travel blogs to get some directions and tips. This post is somehow a "pay back" to those very helpful information that we got.


AIR TRAVEL


Despite Kay's occasional persuasion for us to travel by sea, I was able to insist that we travel by plane since it would save us a lot of time and energy. It was our first time to travel this far so I kinda "played" with Cebu Pacific's Online services. (Check out http://www.cebupacificair.com/ and try playing with it too! It's not that complicated.) At first, I thought this online service is limited to those with credit cards but I have discovered that we can buy tickets even without credit cards; we can pay through ATMs or through bank deposit. However, since we're not so good in this online and traveling thing yet, we didn't get the best price for the airfare. Nevertheless, it was a learning experience. Getting cheaper tickets requires booking early, a lot early!

From NAIA, we landed at the New Bacolod-Silay Airport.

LAND TRAVEL


At Silay Airport, travelers would be greeted by the famous Ilongo smiles. We didn't have a hard time figuring out where the shuttle services were. FX and Vans going to Bacolod city are available right outside the airport, so there's no reason to be lost. (TIP: If you can't speak Ilongo like us, better speak in English. A professor from USLS mentioned that Ilongos prefer speaking in English than Tagalog since English is their second language and Tagalog is usually L3 or even 4.)

Fares range from 100-150 PHP ($ 2-3)

From Silay, we were dropped at ROBINSON's Mall. Yeah...malls look the same so you wouldn't feel any tinge of "alienation". From there, we asked a guard who was very generous enough to instruct us that we should take the Jeep (which looks like bigger multi-cabs that we see in Buendia-Mall of Asia) with the signboard "SHOPPING-LIBERTAD". Jeepney fare is just 7 pesos since it's just near.

From Robinson's we were dropped at a Jollibee (and had our breakfast there...duh). USLS is just a few steps away from that Jollibee store.

BACOLOD-MANILA


Going back was a bit more difficult. Taxi is very expensive, about 400 PHP ($9.5) so we decided to take the more difficult route. We took a jeep going to SM and walked to the FX/Van Terminal. We arrived just on time because the FX and VANS have a time schedule. 4:20 PM is the second to the last trip and 6:00 PM is the last trip (according to a travel brochure handed out to us). Our flight was at 7:00 PM so we squeezed ourselves into the 4:20 van (luckily, we were sexy!)

We arrived at the Silay airport earlier so we still had time to talk and reflect about our brief but memorable stay in Bacolod. We weren't able to roam around the city (and visit the Ruins, poor us!) but we definitely learned a lot!

PALpak

Epic Failure beyond proportions

This is how I would describe the management style (if there's any) of the Philippine Airlines, the country's flag carrier.

I don't know so much about the technicalities of the on-going cases against them (mostly labor-related). But by mere extraction of information from newspapers and television covers, I have reached a conclusion that there MUST be something wrong with the current PAL management led by Jaime Bautista, its president.

PAL's mass lay-off, which added about 2,600 souls in the bowels of unemployment purgatory, has been deeply criticized by different labor groups because of the injustices that PAL inflicts to its loyal and long-time employees. PAL, in turn, argues about the "legality" of their move because if it will not make such drastic measures, the flag carrier might eventually clip its wings for good.

However, there are a lot of questionable angles in PAL's decision. As an outsider, I would like to know whatever happened to their profit. If in case PAL is getting beaten up by other airlines, like Cebu Pacific, I ask, "Is mass lay-off the win-win solution?" Didn't PAL consider the ripple that this will create? A ripple that in the long run, will turn into a tsunami that would wash them out totally. I ask, "What did they do to keep up with the competition?" Certainly, removing regular and long-time employees is never the best answer.

An even more questionable move is the decision to outsource labor. A clever move on "profitability" but not much on sustainability, I guess. One PALEA member asked a very important question during one of the rallies, "Kami matagal na sa aming trabaho, yang mga yan, tuturuan pa. Gaano nila kaalam ang magiging trabaho nila?" He makes a lot of point. If these outsourced personnel will be on a contractual basis, how sure is their efficiency, accuracy, and most importantly, customer relations skills?

These are just some of the questions that popped out of my head upon observations. I don't really know so much about management and all that. But yesterday, I am sure that again PAL's managers mismanaged. A lot of domestic flights were cancelled to the dismay of a number of passengers. They said they weren't even notified. One passenger who was interviewed said she was from Bataan and came all the way to Manila only to find out that her flight was cancelled. PAL could've sent a simple text message informing her about the cancellation and saving her from the hassle. Apparently, PAL didn't mind at all. They just posted announcements printed in bond papers. Duh.

If this is a demolition job to finally end the decades-long flight supremacy of PAL, it's working. More and more passengers start to choose other airlines.


Epic Failure beyond proportions, translation: PAL-pak

On Museums and Mausoleums

This post would sound jumping onto the bandwagon, but if this means getting more kids interested with learning, then by all means, I don’t mind.

Last Saturday, Kay and I (with the inclusion of some friends, Cherish and Glenn) got the chance to listen to probably one of the most prolific (and comic) historians in the Philippines, Dr. Ambeth Ocampo. His talk, entitled: Queridas ni Rizal really opened a lot of ideas and realizations (but I shall tell about them on a separate post).

Picture Taking outside the Ayala Museum (looks like a family picture, huh!)

I’d like to focus on the efforts and contributions made by the Ayalas in reviving and preserving the Philippine History, Art, and Culture. I don’t know much about their genealogy, but judging their looks I could tell they’re more Spanish than Filipino. Whether it’s a gesture of paying back to the Filipinos (if they are indeed Spanish) or just plain nationalism, the establishment of the Ayala museum is surely a big help in curing the chronic forgetfulness of this country.

Last year (if I remember it well, fingers crossed), Kay and I “vowed” to go museum hopping within the country. Sadly though, museums are either far or costly. We opted to go the Myth of the Human Body museum in Taguig, but we got too busy, so it doesn’t have a check mark yet on the list. We were, however, fortunate to visit the Chrisologo Museum in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. The museum was basically converted from the mansion of the Chrisologos. It was fine but the problem with family museums is that, well, most of the exhibits are about the family. I learned a lot from that visit, especially on the influential political powers of the Chrisologos in the North—the volunteer “curator”/tour guide was a retired government employee who was a “loyalist” of the family, she told us.

Also this summer, I was fortunate enough to walk around the De La Salle University-Dasmariñas Museum. For a school museum, it was superb. The museum is a replica, so to speak, of a Spanish colonial era mansion. I have to admit that I got impressed with student volunteers, as well, who took the role of the tour guide explaining to us the different features of a Mansion during that time. It was a little disappointing, though, seeing the reality that discrimination is greatly reflected with the way rooms are designed. There’s even a separate hall or corridor from which the muchahas and muchachos are supposed to pass (yeah, they’re not supposed to walk through the same area that visitors/guests walk).

The Ayala museum, erected within the heart of the Makati Business district (specifically within Greenbelt, across Glorietta), houses various exhibits. At present, they have a tripartite exhibit that focuses on Philippine treasures, namely: the Golds of our Ancestors, Embroidery, and Pottery. Glenn, Kay, and I had a quick look last Saturday. It was unfortunate that we didn’t have enough time to scrutinize the exhibit because it was late in the afternoon (we visited the place right after we attended Dr. Ocampo’s talk).

Ayala Museum Lobby currently showcases Manga paintings

Walking through the exhibit gave me chills—a different kind of excitement—because of the richness of our culture. The feelings were mixed. Happy because of what I have earned; sad because of what we have lost. I couldn’t help thinking what this country would have been if we weren’t colonized. I really don’t know, but I’m sure that we would have thrived as an economically strong nation because of the natural wonders and resources that we have (provided we managed it appropriately, of course). I can’t help but blurt out my disappointment regarding the way I learned history. I was part of the millions who were victimized by the “Magellan discovered the Philippines in 1521” claim published in sick textbooks. If there’s anything that he has discovered and found, it’s neither the Philippines, nor civilization, it’s opportunity—opportunity to loot.

I could still clearly recall Dr. Martin’s passion as she lectured. I was a freshman in PNU then. Luis Lim was my seatmate (and because he’s really into history, he wasn’t making much noise during lectures unlike what he usually does). Dr. Martin mentioned about the checklist of evidences of civilizations. I can’t remember everything but what remained in me is her discussion of the “megalithic structures”. She argued that we already have the civilization prior to the Spanish Colonial rule (contrary to what they claim) because the Rice Terraces were already there before they came. This means we already have the knowledge for Agriculture and Architecture or Landscaping.

The Golds that we have seen in the Ayala museum is another proof that we really have a Civilization even before Westerners came. In fact, they probably got the shock of their lives when they saw “savage” people wearing bahags, or topless women adorned with golds from head to foot.

The GMA 7 documentary (Philippine Treasures) also contributed in making the youth (hopefully) become more interested about history—something a lot worthwhile than planting fake plants or killing silly pigs using angry birds.

Facade of Ayala Museum 

It was a good start, and Kay and I hope to visit more museums before the year ends. I just pray that the government will do extra efforts in improving state-run museums so that it would be more interesting and accessible to low-income Filipino families; so that kids would have a decent place to visit for “education” tours; so that teachers and school administrators would stop being stupid by bringing kids to Mall of Asia for a fieldtrip.

Learning is a right and not a privilege. If we lose the appetite for learning, we might end up in Mausoleums rather than Museums.

Wika at Dunong

In this world where controversies become instant “trendings” personalities also become instant targets for criticisms and curses. Not-so-long ago the focus was with Mideo Cruz and his Politeismo art work. At present, however, the focus of public outrage is at an ADMU student, James Soriano, because of his seemingly “unmindful” article that downgraded the Filipino language into “the language of the streets” and worse, as “not the language of the learned.”

I won’t join the bandwagon of mudsling and rants (although I admit that the initial reaction I had was hatred as well). Instead, I will try to present my analysis on the possible causes and effects of such an idea or philosophy (if it may be labelled as such) to the general public.

Subalit upang mas paigtingin ang ating pag-aaral sa nasabing artikulo, aking ilalahad ang aking mga naisip at napagtanto sa wikang kanyang pinapatungkulan.

1. Ang Wika bilang Maskara at Sandata

Napatunayan na ng mga pag-aaral sa sosylohiya, antropolohiya, kasaysayan, at maging sikolohiya, na sa kahit anong kultura, komunidad, o bansa, ang wika ay isang epektibo at makapangyarihang sandata. Ito’y nagsisilbing marka ng mga naghaharing-uri. Subalit ito rin ang s’yang naging sandata ng mga api sa kanilang paglulunsad ng rebolusyon laban sa dikta ng mga manunupil. Sa kabilang banda, ang wika rin ay maskara sa ilang pagkakataon. Magandang halimbawa dito si Doña Victorina na nakilala natin sa Noli bilang nagpapangap na Mestisang Kastila sa pamamagitan ng paglalagay ng maraming kolorete sa muka at pagpupumilit na magsalita ng Kastila (na s’yang wika ng kapangyarihan noon).

2. Ang Wika at ang mga naghaharing-uri

Ang wika rin, gaya ng nabanggit sa itaas, ay isang simbolo ng kapangyarihan at pamumuno. Sa pag-aaral ng Bilingualism, may iba’t-ibang uri ng Bilingual Education programs na ipinatupad sa iba’t-ibang panig ng mundo. Isa na rito ang nakilala bilang “Segregationist” kung saan wika ng dominanteng kultura o grupo ang siyang ginagamit bilang wika ng pag-aaral. Isang magandang halimbawa dito ang pag-aaral na nailathala ni Hertz-Lazarowits et.al. (2008) kung saan kanilang sinuri ang ethnic segregation sa Israel. Lalayo pa ba tayo? Hindi ba’t dito mismo sa atin, ipinagkait ng mga Kastila ang kanilang wika sa mga indios dahil hindi nila nais na matuto ang mga ordinaryong mamamayan dahil ito nga’y magbubunsod ng pag-aaklas sa kanilang pamahalaan.

3. Ang Wika at ang Responsableng Magulang

Noong ako ay isang undergraduate sa PNU, nabanggit ni Dr. Nilda Sunga na h’wag daw namin piliting turuan ang aming mga magiging anak na maging L1 o unang wika ang Ingles (lalo na kung dito lang din naman kami titira at hindi mangingibang bansa) dahil baka raw mahirapang makipaglaro sa ibang bata ang aming mga magiging anak. Noong una, hindi ko s’ya maintindihan. Tinuturuan nila kaming maging guro ng wikang Ingles, pero hindi niya nais na turuan namin ang aming mga anak na mag-ingles? Naintindihan ko na lamang ang kanyang sinabi ng aking mabasa ang mga lathalain ni Dr. Jim Cummins (particular ang kanyang Iceberg Analogy at Common Underlying Language Proficiency hypothesis) at noong ako ay makadalo sa ilang kumperensya na kung saan inilahad ni Dianne Dekker ang resulta ng kanyang pag-aaral sa Lubuagan. Sinusulong ni Dekker ang Mother-Tongue Based Multilingual Education Program (MTB-MLE). Napagtanto kong ang isa sa pinakamahalagang salik sa pagkatutuo ng KAHIT ANO’NG wika ay ang pagpapaunlad muna sa kaisipan ng isang bata. Samakatuwid, upang mapagyaman at mapayabong ang ikalawang wika at iba pang wika, dapat munang mapaunlad ang unang wika ng isang bata. Ang unang wika ay HINDI Tagalog, kundi kung anuman ang wikang sinasalita ng mga magulang niya (Ilokano, Bisaya, Chavacano, etc). Subalit dahil sa kolonyal na mentalidad ng karamihan sa atin (at dahil na rin nga sa kulturang nabuo ng mga Kano sa atin) bawat magulang ay nag-aasam na sana ang kanilang anak ay maging mahusay sa paggamit ng Ingles. Delikado ito, dahil gaya ng sabi ni Dr. Martin (2008) “The first set of myths has to do with English in the Philippines. There is a prevailing belief that if you don’t know English, you simply don’t know!” Sa artikulong nailathala sa Philippine Daily Inquirer, giit ni Dr. Martin na ang isa sa malaking kultura (at problema) na ating nabuo. Akala natin, porket hindi marunong mag-ingles ang isang tao, ay bobo na s’ya.

Hindi ko kilala ang pamilya ni James Soriano, pero sa tingin ko, ito ang pagiisip na mayroon ang kanyang magulang (o pwede rin namang may lahing Kano sila) . At nakakaawang bata si James dahil hindi s’ya nabigyan ng pagkakataon na aralin, lasapin, at mahalin ang wikang sinasalita ng mga taong nakapaligid sa kanya. Dahil dito, magiging mahirap para sa kanya ang intindihin at matutunan ang kulturang nakapaloob sa isipan, damdamin, at kaluluwa ng mga Pilipinong “naglilingkod” sa kanya.

S’ya nga pala, propesor sa Ateneo de Manila si Dr. Martin. Sana ay maging guro s’ya ni G. Soriano upang matutunan n’ya kung ano mang ang sinusulat ko dito.

4. Ang Wika at Dunong

Gaya ng nabanggit sa itaas, sa aking pagkakaalam, wala pang pag-aaral ang nagpapatunay na ang wika ay may direktang relasyon o epekto sa utak at katalinuhan ng isang tao. Maaaring maraming matatalinong tao ang magaling sa Ingles, subalit hindi ibig sabihin nito na kapag magaling kang mag-Ingles ay matalino ka. Sa Logic 101, natutunan nating ito’y isang malaking Fallacy (pwedeng False Dilemma o False Cause). Ergo, hindi dahil magaling ang Ingles ni James Soriano sa kanyang sinulat ay matalino s’ya.

This is the reason why I think we should stop bullying or cursing Mr. Soriano, he’s not that intelligent and his write-up is merely an opinion from a mind-set downplayed by a language. Moreover, we have to be careful with playing “ultra-nationalistic” because before we know it, we might be starting to think like him (the other way around) i.e. that English is the language of the elitist, the bad people, etc.

Instead of wasting time ranting and raging in the internet, causing more flame wars, let’s pause for a while and reflect. Think (in whatever language you are comfortable thinking) and realize what needs to be realized…

…like REAL LEARNED INDIVIDUALS…

References:

Baker, C. (2006). Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. New York: Multilingual Matters Ltd.

Hertz-Lazarowitz, R. et.al. (2008). From ethnic segregation to bilingual education: What can bilingual education do for the future of the Israeli Society?. Retrieved from: http://www.jceps.com/PDFs/6-2-08.pdf

Martin, I.P. (3 March 2008). Myths about languages in the Philippines. The Philippine Daily Inquirer

In a station upon a MetroTren*

The apparition of these feces in the crowd;
Ferals on a tic, tac, toe.




*pasintabi kay Ezra Pound

Anatomy of a Fan

When the die-hard Bieber fans learned about his flirtations and public display of affection with fellow teenage artist Selena Gomez, they acted violently to the extent of cursing Selena (as if Selena stole Bieber from them, and as if Bieber would even mind them)

When Lady Gaga was accused of being a member of the illuminati and is a "messenger" of cultic messages, her die hard fans were quick to respond and deny the claim.

When images of Jesus (or should I say Catholic faith) were "desecrated", well, what do you expect? Devotees shamelessly and barbarically act to denounce it (as if they did not learn anything from the teachings of Jesus).

I am in no position to talk about religion as I am a sinner and never a saint. But just like what I have mentioned in Kay's Blog (Amvagueities), I think the root of all problem is...well...RELIGION itself.

If I am not mistaken, I don't think Jesus made mention about religion as the way to salvation (unless of course we treat the personal pronouns "I" and "me" in John 14:6, which refers to Jesus, as "religion")

The recent controversial Kulo exhibit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines proved a lot of facts about Filipinos in relation to thinking, culture, beliefs, temperament, among others. So many that I will just try to present them as briefly and clearly as I can in this post.

1. The Filipino and the Art of Thinking


Noynoy is correct when he said that there is no absolute freedom. The artists cannot expect the people to accept their art, but in the same way, the people do not have the right to destroy other people's work just because they don't like it. (If liking and disliking is easy as a push of that button, then think again, because reality is beyond Facebook.) M. Cruz's creation could be really offensive, but what's the difference with what other people did by vandalizing and trying to set the exhibit on fire (to no avail)? From these series of events, we realize how Filipinos think: impulsive and critical (as in skeptic) rather than meditative and analytical. I admit that my initial reaction was negative as well, and it took a lot of discussions via text with Kay for me to realize a number of things. (Thus, the late post.)

2. The Filipino and the Art of Appreciating Art

"Art can be beautiful it can be ugly...If it's always good, it's propaganda"-Prof. Jose Alberto Tanedo, UP College of Fine Arts (Prof. Tanedo on Art)

I think Prof. Tanedo said it clear enough: we cannot just have everything beautiful, simply because this world is a world of perspectives. What's beautiful to me may not be beautiful to you, and what's morally upright to you may not be morally upright to me. I think Filipinos are locked in the idea that Art is "beautiful". Let's remind ourselves that the Spoliarium is never "beautiful". It's horrendous, in fact. But today, we see it as an art worthy of national praise. I like the last part of Prof Tanedo's statement. True enough, if everything given to us appears beautiful and good, then that's dangerous. Even Jesus told His disciples that the tasks ahead are never smooth. (Matthew 24:9). Bottom line is that Jesus never said that our lives in this world will be full of happiness and beauty. It only becomes beautiful once we have accepted him us our Lord and Savior and begin to see bad things as good things. I am not an Art Scholar or an Art Critique, but I guess we have to go back to basics, for someone to say that something is beautiful, he/she has to explain and rationalize. Beauty is relative.

3. The Filipino and the Art of Overacting

Whatever it is that came into the minds of the vandals, and Dr. Chua when he said, "Hindi gawa ng Pilipino yan! Gawa yan ng Demonyo!" I think it's plain overacting. I believe the reason of CCP for putting up an open forum is to be able to open up ideas and clarify issues (and not begin a shouting match). Sadly, even the most professionals of professionals return to savagery because of emotional imbalance leading to what we commonly know as Overacting. A Black Nazarene devotee even ranted something unchristian because of her overacting, "Hindi namin sya mapapatawad...isa itong kabastusan sa aming...replica"  (See: CCP shuts down Kulo) I strongly suggest that she reviews the Bible as it teaches the most basic act of "forgiving". Most of us thinks that because we devoutly do what we traditionally do, God favors us. We forget that it's not about religion, it's about relationship with Jesus. She said it herself...it's a...well....REPLICA. 

4. The Filipino and the Art of Forgetting

I'd like to end this lengthy blog with a reminder: Exodus 20:4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." We seem to have forgotten this 2nd commandment from God. Aren't we supposed to be worshipping Jesus and not His "replicas"? So what if a "good for nothing" artist lambasts the replica, does it destroy your faith? Does it destroy your God? If yes, check your faith. The last time I checked, Jesus is in my heart...not in CCP...and never in your altars.

***

Mideo Cruz's Politeismo reflects Filipino culture as spelled out by the Spaniards (and even before they came). It vividly exposes how POLYTHEISTIC we are (i.e. worshipping so many gods, from FPJ to Mickey Mouse to Obama and his U.S.A.to Bieber to Gaga.) We have gone gaga over gags.

The effects and controversies it reaped reflect how shallow the Filipino faith is...or shall i say fanaticism?