10 outstanding teacher awardees announced

Mayor Bong Gordon presented a plaque of commendation and medal of excellence to Mrs. Imingan for winning the award during the city's flag ceremony held at Rizal Triangle

Nine public school teachers and an educator from a private tertiary school topped the 2009 Search for Outstanding Teachers of Metrobank Foundation, Inc..

All 10 winners in the 25th edition of the annual contest have one thing in common – “a profound commitment to the development of the youth through exemplary competence, remarkable dedication to their work and an effective educational leadership.”

They are among the country's best mentors “who can be upheld as models not only for educators but for other community members as well,” said foundation head George SK Ty, also chair of Metrobank and Toyota Motors Phils. Corp.

On Saturday, foundation president Aniceto M. Sobrepeña joined Education Secretary Jesli A. Lapus in announcing the winners of the competition during the latter's weekly dzXL radio program:

• Elementary level – Lourdes L. Matan from Mag-ubay Elementary School in Calbayog City, Gemma G. Cortez from Dasmarinas Elementary School in Cavite, Eva B. Imingan from Nellie Brown Elementary School in Olongapo City, and Benjamin M. Martinez from San Sebastian Elementary School in Tarlac City.

Mayor Bong Gordon presented a plaque of commendation and medal of excellence to Mrs. Imingan during the city's flag ceremony held at Rizal Triangle

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• Secondary level – Shena Faith M. Ganela from Philippine Science High School in Iloilo City, Rochelle T. Papasin from Philippine Science High School in Davao City, Ma. Petra A. Romualdo from Minapan National High School in North Cotabato, and Zoilo J. Pinongcos Jr. from Leganes National High School in Iloilo.

• Tertiary level – Dina Joana S. Ocampo from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City and Ramon S. del Fierro from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City.

On September 3, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will award them gold medallions during simple rites at Malacañang.

The following day, the winners will also receive plaques and P300,000 each during the awarding ceremonies at Metrobank Plaza in Makati City which will serve as the highlight of the 47th anniversary celebration of Metrobank.

This year's awardees will join the ranks of 276 contest winners during the past 24 years.

They automatically become members of the Network of Outstanding Teachers and Educators, or NOTED, an “honor society of outstanding teachers committed to nurturing a culture of excellence and service through professional development, research and advocacy in active partnership with government and non-government groups.”

Matan, a Filipino teacher, was cited by Metrobank Foundation, Inc. or MBFI for being “instrumental in making her school offer a complete primary education program, using multi-grade classrooms. She is also active in community work, crusading against forced and early marriages of minors in remote parts of Calbayog City.”

Cortez, an English teacher, is also project coordinator of environmental projects like “Basura Ko, Lingap Ko” and “Alay Tanim.” She was “responsible for the introduction of a reading intervention program in her school in Dasmarinas, Cavite.”

Imingan “spearheaded the establishment of a reading center in her school. She also involved the families of students with reading difficulties in similar programs. Her efforts were partly responsible for a better performance of her school in division, regional and national achievement tests.”

Martinez “not only developed prototype lesson plans and evaluation instruments, he also authored reference books and manuals that served as teaching guides for fellow industrial arts teachers. A founding member of the Tarlac Arts Guild, he once served as teacher to arts-inclined out-of-school youth.”

Ganela “developed modules to make her lessons more fun and meaningful to her students. She takes pride in one of her teaching strategies called ‘Jeopardy Game,’ inspired by the popular US television game show which she modified to become a review game before classroom quizzes and examinations.”

Papasin, a chemistry teacher, “served as coach of students who won in national and international science fairs. To further strengthen science research consciousness among her students, she organized school-based science fairs that came out with a study of Davao River.”

Romualdo, an English teacher, has “produced instructional materials that catered to the development of Higher Order Thinking Skills of students, which strengthened use of English. She also developed the Dropout Reduction Plan, a program aimed at mitigating school dropout rates in public schools.”

Pinongcos, an English teacher with special training on ICT, “has conducted various training programs on basic technology literacy skills for teachers who have little or no computer experience. These programs introduce teachers to 21st century approaches to teaching and learning.”

Ocampo's research on early literacy “has contributed to the issuance of DepEd Order No. 74 (Institutionalizing Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education). Since 1990, she has been investigating the effects of the use of the child's dominant language as the medium of instruction, particularly in learning to read.”

Biochemistry expert Del Fierro “has conducted scientific researches on mutagenicity, clastogenicity and the antimutagenicity potentials of natural products and chemical toxicology in the environment. As dean of the USC College of Arts and Sciences, he has taken a lead role in making its chemistry department a CHed Center of Excellence.”

Of the 173 teachers who competed in this year's search, 40 made it to the first round.

The MBFI criteria for judging are personal qualities and character, instructional competence and teaching effectiveness, as well as community involvement.

The 40 regional finalists were later trimmed down to 20 by the preliminary board of judges, composed of DepEd Assistant Secretary Teresita Inciong and Drs. Evelina Vicencio and Felicitas Pado (for primary teachers); Drs. Milagros Ibe, Gloria Salandanan and Elena Cutiongco (for high school teachers); Professional Regulations Commissioner Nilo Rosas, ex-Undersecretary of Education Fe Hidalgo and Dr. Minda Sutaria (for college teachers).

The 20 remaining contestants were trimmed down to the Final 10 by the final board of judges, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Teresita de Castro and Muntinlupa City Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon.

The other members of the panel were Civil Service Commission Chair Ricardo Saludo, Sarangani Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez, Centro Escolar University president Ma. Cristina Padolina, Probe Productions president Ma. Cecilia Lazaro, and Lamoiyan Corp. president Cecilio Pedro.

MBFI “believes that by giving recognition to the outstanding qualities, achievements and contributions of our beloved educators, we promote a sense of pride and provide inspiration to the teaching profession and to the rest of the society,” said Sobrepeña.

He added, “for 25 years, we have envisioned our awardees to serve as infrastructure for continuing excellence and to provide greater impact on their respective spheres of influence.”

According to Ty, the Search for Outstanding Teachers “represents the foundation's commitment to promote a culture of excellence in education by recognizing the country's best mentors.”

MBFI is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group of Companies.

Aside from Ty, other MBFI officers are vice chair Placido Mapa Jr. and trustees Mary Vy Ty, Elvira Ong Chan, Milagros Drilon, and Marixi R. Prieto, Philippine Daily Inquirer chair.

The MBFI board of advisers, once chaired by the late president Corazon Aquino, groups President Arroyo, former prime minister Cesar Virata, Washington Sycip, Senator Manuel Roxas, James Go, Domingo Lee, and Metrobank president Antonio Abacan Jr. as senior advisers. By Jerry E. Esplanada - Philippine Daily Inquirer