AT 21, JAYSON CONTINUES TO LEARN
LIKE ANY OTHER ELEMENTARY KIDS IN SIBUGAY
The bus terminal and parking area in downtown Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay is already busy with vehicles and passengers when Jayson reaches the area on Saturdays and Sundays. Its about five kilometers from their residence in Kitabog,Titay municipality.
At an early age, he has to bear the difficulty of growing up in a hard life. “Manudlos ko kada Sabado ug Domingo aron duna mi ipalit pagkaon ug gamit sa eskwela” (I go vending on Saturdays and Sundays so that we will have money to buy food and other school items) Jayson said.
Youngest among ten siblings, Jayson has had a tough childhood life. His father left the family and never returned when he was nine years old, leaving his mother to take care of them alone amidst hardship in their village.
Life was so hard that he has to stop going to school several times and Ipil terminal in Sibugay became his second home and school at the same time. It was here that he learned how to survive, joining other kids as ambulant vendor of fruits, biscuits and other food stuff.
At twenty one years of age now, Jayson has a mental capacity of a Grade II school child. “Seguro tungod sa kalisud nga iyang naagi-an niadtong gamay pa sya, gibiyaan man gud na sila sa iyang papa” (Maybe because of the hardship that he underwent during his childhood, he was traumatized when their father left them), says Mrs. De Guzman, his adviser.
“Lisud gyud kaayo ilang kinabuhi” (They really have a hard life), Mrs. De Guzman added.. “Lisud kaayo kung manudlos kay init kaayo sa terminal unya magsaka-kanaug na sya sa mga sakyanan aron lang makabaligya. Naluoy gyud ko niya” (Its very hard to become a vendor because its too hot in the terminal and besides, he has to go up and down among vehicles to be able to sell. I really pity him), De Guzman stressed.
When He enrolled in Grade IV, Jayson requested that he be allowed in Section A under de Guzman. “Sa una, ga-alang-alang ko pagdawat niya kay medyo mahina siya kompara sa uban, pero ako na lang siya gidawat kay gasige man ug hangyo” (At first I am adamant to accept him in my section because he is a little bit slower compared to other kids, however; I eventually received him because of his persistent request), de Guzman said.
Mrs. De Guzman found out later that Jayson did not enroll in the lower section because he feared being teased by naughty kids there. Teachers in Kitabog have developed a soft heart for Jayson. Whenever, he is absent, Mrs. De Guzman or any other teacher who knows Jayson would look for him at their house or in the terminal of Ipil.
In a reading camp held in their school, Jayson joined with other kids. This was the first time that he will be joining a reading camp for school children at Kitabog Elementary School in Zamboanga Sibugay’s Titay District. “Nalipay ko kay ila kong gipa-apil” (I am happy that they allowed me to join), Jayson gladly said.
“Maglisud ko pagbasa kon Iningles, pero sulod sa pila ka adlaw nga miapil ko, nakakat-on baya ko, hinuon dili tanan kay duna puy lisud kaayo; maglisud akong dila paglituk” (I find it very difficult to read especially in English, however after days of joining the camp I learned to read correctly, although I admit that there are also hard lessons which my tongue could hardly pronounce) he said.
Reading was made enjoyable for Jayson and the other kids through the different exercises and approaches that they would have to undergo. From phone-visual-oral sound blending and meaning (PVOSBM), language experience approach (LEA), shared reading to include choral, echo, chanting, and dialogic reading to directed reading teaching approach and story telling; Jayson and the kids with frustration level reading capability were ushered into new ways of overcoming reading weaknesses.
Jayson is one of the several school children with difficulty in reading, and the 5-day reading camp was an enriching experience for him and other kids of Titay in Zamboanga Sibugay, Southern Philippines.
When asked what pushed him to persevere in going to school despite his age, weakness and difficult situation, Jayson confidently replied: “Gusto ko makatabang pa kang Mama kay galisud gyud siya” (I want to continue helping my mother because she has suffered a lot).
At 21 years of age and now in Grade V, Jayson continue for his quest of a brighter future by studying well. “Bisag layo ilang balay, sayo gyud na siya moabut sa eskwelahan” (Even if their house is far, he is always early in school) Mrs. De Guzman said. “Respetado pud siya nga pagka-estuyante” (He is also a respectful student), she added.
Although battered by challenges brought by poverty, Jayson stays focus on his dream. “Kung tugutan sa Ginoo, gusto unta ko mamahimong maestro, pero kung pananglit di ko ka trabaho diri, seguro manimpalad ko sa gawas” (If God permits, I want to become a teacher someday, however, if ever I wont make it here, I will try my luck abroad) Jayson added.
Like any other school child that withstood the test of times and has reading difficulty, Jayson is optimistic he would overcome them.
He together with the other school children of Sibugay who has difficulty in reading, were among the countless kids who were able to participate in the reading camp. The education-focused initiative is part of the of the aid package from Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional (AECI) which is being implemented in the province by Fundacion Humanismo Y Democracia (H+D) and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).
Other initiatives include schoolbuilding construction, scholarship assistance, supplemental feeding, teachers and PTCA trainings and provision of science lab equipment, audio-visual equipment and various kinds of technology livelihood education (TLE) equipment. (danny escabarte)
Classes has been cancelled in many schools where the fight between government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) took place. The conflict is still ongoing and refugees or dicplaced families could still increase. 53 persons (both from the military, rebel side & civilian) were killed as a result of the conflict, among the 20 civilians killed, a 6-year old girl and 11-year old boy were the youngest among the casualties.
Presently, their urgent necessisites include food, water, camping tents/shelter, slippers and sleeping materials. Non-government organizations and relief agencies have responded by providing some of their needs.
Psychosocial intervention & stress debriefing for those affected by the conflict especially the children should be looked into. Medical necessities of those cramped inside evacuation centers has been observed to be on the rise as some kids are now getting sick.
I was able to go with the group from PBSP and PLDT-SMART Foundation volunteers who conducted Relief Mission for the displaced families in the affected areas. The photos you see were taken in the areas where we went to recently.
Some pet animals were also brought along by the evacuees as they leave their villages in haste. Lucky enough to bring to safer grounds were some cows, goats, pig, ducks and chicken. A pet monkey (below) was also brought by its owner to the evacuation center. They fed him matured coconut because no bananas can be found at the evacuation center.
JEREMIAH's VIEW OF CREATION
