Aired (January 18, 2025): Sa kabundukan ng Mindoro Oriental, may isang eskuwelahang matatagpuan sa gitna ng kabundukan. Para marating ito, kailangang tawirin ang 25 ilog at maglakad nang tatlong oras sa maputik na daan.
Pero may mga gurong handang isakripisyo ang kanilang ginhawa para makapaghatid ng edukasyon sa mga kabataang Mangyan. Kilalanin natin sila sa dokumentaryong ito.
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Pero may mga gurong handang isakripisyo ang kanilang ginhawa para makapaghatid ng edukasyon sa mga kabataang Mangyan. Kilalanin natin sila sa dokumentaryong ito.
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00:00In the mountains of the Mindoro Oriental, there is a school that is hidden in the jungle.
00:27To reach it, you need to cross 25 rivers.
00:37We are lucky today because the water level is just up to our knees.
00:41If the water level is high, it will be difficult because there is a current even below us.
00:50I hope the next ones won't be too high so we can cross it easily.
00:56And you need to walk for 3 hours.
01:05I am accompanied by two new teachers,
01:09Teacher Michael, who was once the top one in their town,
01:15and Teacher Alvin, who has been teaching for 3 years.
01:20We are now at the top of Banluan in Mirayan, Gloria, Mindoro Oriental,
01:29in the hidden place of the Mangyat people.
01:37Teacher Michael is a former private school teacher.
01:40He changed the name of the school to teach public education.
01:47He didn't expect that he would be assigned as a DepEd in the mountains.
01:52Because what's written on my S.O. is that I will be assigned as a DepEd in the mountains.
02:02I didn't notice the Banluan Extension in Mirayan Elementary School.
02:06I thought that I would be assigned to Mirayan only.
02:10I can go home, ride a motorcycle, and go back and forth.
02:13We just need to see how many rivers, how high the mountain is.
02:17That's when I realized that this is the situation.
02:25You were crying when you were first assigned.
02:27Yes, because we didn't know how far we could go.
02:31Ah, you didn't know.
02:33That's why I asked for this.
02:36You were fooled.
02:43At first, it was easy to cross the rivers.
02:46The water was shallow and calm.
02:49But as time went by, the riverbed became stronger.
02:53It's easy to get fooled if you don't have strong feet.
02:58This riverbed is a bit narrow, but it looks like the riverbed is strong.
03:02So, be careful.
03:09The riverbed is a bit narrow, but it looks like the riverbed is strong.
03:13So, be careful.
03:20Wow!
03:22Yeah!
03:24Yeah!
03:33This is Teacher Alvin's first assignment as a teacher.
03:36He spent several years preparing for the opportunity to teach.
03:40But he was still surprised when he saw the way to Sitio Banluan.
03:49It's hard to refuse a job.
03:51Because if you look for a job, you will be given a job.
03:54The only problem is how we climbed and descended.
03:58There were tragedies that we didn't expect.
04:05We slipped and fell into the river.
04:08We don't think about it anymore.
04:10We only think about the children.
04:14Almost two hours later, we finally reached the 25th riverbed.
04:23This is the last riverbed.
04:26After this, we will go to Ahon.
04:29If you can see that step, that's the beginning of Ahon.
04:34If you can see that step, that's the beginning of Ahon.
04:47The quickness of happiness was quickly replaced by nervousness
04:52when the right path came to us.
05:04Can we just go to the river again?
05:07I was praying earlier that the river would end today.
05:10I hope it's just the river. It's easier than going to Putek.
05:24Every Sunday, this is what Teacher Michael and Teacher Alvin do.
05:33It's a difficult and long process to teach.
05:39Do you regret it?
05:40No, I don't.
05:41At first, during the hiring, I was looking for a job.
05:49But when I saw the challenges here, I didn't give up.
05:54I was more challenged because it's difficult for the children to teach.
06:04There are Puteks that are up to 20 years old.
06:17And there are Puteks that are too slippery and tight.
06:28You just have to be patient.
06:34I can't do it anymore.
06:44I can't do it anymore.
06:50Despite the sweat and fatigue, we continue our journey.
07:04The problem is, after an hour of walking in Putekang,
07:14the heavy rain suddenly poured.
07:33I can't do it anymore.
07:37I can't do it anymore.
07:40I can't do it anymore.
07:44I can't do it anymore.
07:48I can't do it anymore.
07:50I'm so tired.
07:54It's only been an hour.
07:58Let's go.
08:00There were times when I wanted to give up.
08:03But the teachers told me,
08:05there's nothing good or bad about people who are careless.
08:11Sometimes, when I went to school, it was wet.
08:14But our laptops and laptops, our materials,
08:18were covered in plastic.
08:20And sometimes, when we went up, it was wet.
08:23So we thought,
08:25what will happen to the children if we don't go up?
08:29They are so pitiful.
08:36A few minutes later,
08:46it was already 4 p.m. when we arrived.
08:49Thank you, Lord!
09:19Thank you, Lord!
09:32The next morning, at 6 a.m.,
09:34we were awakened by an iron bell.
09:38Thank you, Lord!
09:49This is how the children start their day,
09:52thanking the Lord.
10:00While the children are getting ready to go to school.
10:07Good morning.
10:08It's 7 o'clock in the morning,
10:10but I think the class will probably start at 7.30 or 8 o'clock,
10:15because there are a lot of students there.
10:19Because it's the first day of school,
10:21there are a lot of students,
10:23and there are a lot of children,
10:25so it's not easy for them to go to school.
10:28It's not easy for them to go to school,
10:30because there are a lot of students,
10:32and there are a lot of children,
10:34and for the students,
10:36because it's raining,
10:38they might still be traveling at this time.
10:41The road is quite narrow.
10:43Some of them are still living in the mountains.
10:47It's about 30 minutes to 1 hour away.
11:00No matter how narrow the road is,
11:02the children have perfect attendance
11:04on the first day of school in the new year.
11:19There are only two classrooms in Sitio Banluan,
11:22so the students of grades 1, 2, and 3
11:25are together in one room.
11:29Good morning to you, good morning.
11:32Good morning, good morning, good morning.
11:36Good morning, good morning, good morning, children.
11:40Good morning, good morning, good morning, sir Michael.
11:46Teacher Michael is the teacher of grades 4, 5, and 6.
11:50The teaching method is called a multi-grade system.
11:55It's hard to teach one class
11:58if you have to teach three students at the same time.
12:01Do you want to dance?
12:02Yes!
12:04Do you want to dance?
12:06Yes!
12:11Aside from Teacher Alvin and Teacher Michael,
12:14there is another teacher in Sitio Banluan.
12:17But he doesn't have a classroom,
12:19no uniform,
12:21and no permanent position.
12:23How do you go back to your seat?
12:26Go back to your seat.
12:28Sit down.
12:30That's beautiful.
12:33Teacher Lenny Furugito is a volunteer teacher.
12:38She is the first child in their area
12:41who finished her studies.
12:44Abacada!
12:46Abacada!
12:48In our time,
12:50it was not popular to study.
12:53Education was not important in our time.
12:58Why?
13:00Because our parents needed help with their needs.
13:08According to Teacher Lenny,
13:10they only had a daycare center in Sitio Banluan.
13:14So if you want to go to grade 1,
13:16you need to cross 20 rivers
13:19and walk for 3 hours down the mountain
13:22to get to the school.
13:25After you finished your daycare,
13:28how did you study?
13:30Where did you go?
13:32I went to a place we know in Tagalog.
13:36What did you do there?
13:38I stayed there.
13:40I stayed there.
13:42You stayed with another family?
13:44Yes.
13:45Why?
13:46So I could finish my studies.
13:49Because my parents couldn't afford it.
13:52They didn't have money.
13:57The Mangyans call upon the system
14:01where the Mangyans live in Tagalog houses.
14:08The children work like housekeepers.
14:12But instead of salary,
14:14they get free housing and education.
14:18How long have you been working?
14:21From grade 1 until I graduated.
14:25I was 8 years old.
14:27In exchange,
14:29I got food and shelter at school.
14:33But you didn't see your family.
14:35No.
14:36They just came and went.
14:38Sometimes during Christmas.
14:42Isn't that sad?
14:44At first, it was sad.
14:46I cried in one room.
14:48But after a few years,
14:51I got used to them being my family.
14:55Despite the sadness,
14:57Teacher Lenny continued to study.
15:00Even though she experienced bullying a few times.
15:04What did they say to you?
15:06That I'm a Mangyan.
15:08That I'm pregnant.
15:10They said that my legs are too long.
15:14What do you think about?
15:17Nothing.
15:19Sometimes I don't care.
15:21But sometimes I cry.
15:28Others used Teacher Lenny's weapons
15:34to succeed.
15:37I prayed to the Lord.
15:40Lord, please let me finish my studies here in this college.
15:44I will serve my tribe.
15:50Many years later,
15:52Teacher Lenny finished her BS Education course.
15:58And like her promise,
16:01she returned to the mountains to serve.
16:06Did anyone tell you,
16:08just stay here in the mountains?
16:11Many people told me,
16:13why are you going back to the mountains?
16:15You look good.
16:17You are clean.
16:19You have finished your studies.
16:21You are civilized.
16:22Why are you going back?
16:24I replied,
16:25that's what I told the Lord.
16:28If I graduate from this school,
16:32I will serve my tribe.
16:36This is for you.
16:38This is for you.
16:40Because Teacher Lenny is not yet passing the Licensure Exam for Teachers,
16:45her position is just a volunteer teacher.
16:48And she can only teach kindergarten for now.
16:51Be careful.
16:52We will fight.
16:54This is about giving.
16:57So they are very thankful
16:59that Merayan Elementary School decided in 2019
17:03to build an extension school in Banluan.
17:13Instead of a student going to school,
17:16now it's a teacher going to the mountains.
17:20And because of the sacrifices of the great teachers,
17:24the dreams of the students are slowly coming true.
17:30How are the children here?
17:33There are no problems with the children.
17:35When it comes to their studies,
17:37their behavior,
17:38there is nothing.
17:39As in zero.
17:40We have never seen them fighting,
17:42punching each other.
17:43There is nothing.
17:44They are always fighting.
17:45There is nothing.
17:46We are really blessed here.
17:48I told them,
17:49if this school or station is down,
17:51I will not let them transfer.
17:53I might want to make them principals here.
17:55Because the children are the number one
17:57that inspires us.
17:59If the child is like that,
18:00why would you transfer?
18:03But aside from teaching,
18:05there is another job for the teachers of Banluan.
18:11At 11 o'clock.
18:13How many students can you feed?
18:16Sixty-two.
18:17Sixty-two.
18:18How many bags is that?
18:19Twenty-five bags of rice.
18:21Twenty-five bags of rice?
18:23Yes.
18:24And what do they eat?
18:26Mungo and string beans.
18:28Mungo and string beans.
18:33Hunger is one of the biggest problems
18:35for the children of Mangyan
18:37in the city of Banluan.
18:39They cannot go to school.
18:41That is why the children,
18:43when they come here,
18:45aside from wanting to study,
18:47there is nothing they can do.
18:48So they have brains.
18:49They have brains.
18:50Yes.
18:52Two times a week,
18:54there is a feeding session at the site.
18:57With the help of several NGOs and sponsors,
19:00they can save P10,000 per month
19:03to buy rice and vegetables.
19:06What if they don't donate anymore?
19:09Then there is no feeding.
19:11Nothing.
19:12What will happen is,
19:13the children will starve.
19:22They say,
19:24there is no way to know
19:26if the rice is growing.
19:29This is the reason
19:31why the teachers
19:33are pushing for
19:35feeding sessions.
19:39Since they started
19:41the feeding sessions,
19:43they have been able to
19:45save P10,000 per month.
19:49Since they started
19:51the feeding sessions at the school,
19:54enrollment has increased
19:56in the city of Banluan.
19:59We were pushed by two teachers,
20:01and of course,
20:03the education of the children
20:05is also increasing.
20:07That is why we are very thankful
20:09to the teachers who are pushing
20:11and persevering here.
20:15After lunch,
20:17the children go back to school.
20:22In grade 1, 2, and 3,
20:25I noticed a strange student.
20:32This girl is 18 years old.
20:37But why is she still in grade 3?
20:42Where her classmates
20:44are almost half her age.
21:01This is Minik Furuginto,
21:03the oldest in the class.
21:06Minik is 18 years old,
21:08but she is still in grade 3.
21:14Minik is not from Banluan.
21:17She lives in a faraway mountain
21:20that is not yet reached by the teachers.
21:23But everything changed
21:25when she met Teacher Lenny.
21:31Because I found out
21:33that there are children there,
21:35and they enrolled me
21:37in Kindergarten.
21:39But they did not continue
21:41because it is far away.
21:44They have to cross a river
21:46and climb a mountain.
21:52Why do you have to send them there
21:55when you are not their teacher?
21:59I feel sorry
22:01because I was given this position
22:04and I know that there are children there.
22:08When Teacher Lenny met Minik,
22:11he saw how much she wanted to learn.
22:14So even though Minik is old,
22:16Teacher Lenny decided to enroll her.
22:20Why did you enroll her?
22:24So that she can study well.
22:27Oh, so that she can study.
22:30Why is there no school in Banos?
22:34No.
22:35What do you do there?
22:37I climb a mountain every day.
22:41Every day?
22:43And what else?
22:46I wash dishes.
22:51When she is there,
22:54she is like a child's mother.
23:02She orders her to eat.
23:06As a person,
23:08I also dream of a better life.
23:15From Kindergarten,
23:17Teacher Lenny taught Minik hard.
23:20Now, she knows how to write and read.
23:24And most of all,
23:26she learned that dreams are possible.
23:31Why do you want to study?
23:33So that I can graduate.
23:36Oh, so that you can graduate.
23:38What do you want to be when you graduate?
23:41I want to be a doctor.
23:43Oh, you want to be a doctor.
23:45Why do you want to be a doctor?
23:47So that I can help.
23:48So that you can help?
23:49Yes.
23:50To whom?
23:51To my siblings.
23:52To your siblings.
23:54You don't have a doctor?
23:56No.
23:57Oh, you don't.
24:04That's it!
24:06What is your dream for the children here in Banduan?
24:11One of my dreams,
24:13I told them,
24:15no matter how hard it is in school,
24:19no matter how hard it is in school,
24:20no matter how hard it is in school,
24:21no matter how hard it is in school,
24:22just keep studying.
24:23just keep studying.
24:24And if you continue,
24:25And if you continue,
24:26you will be just like me when you graduate.
24:30I told them,
24:31for you to finish school,
24:33for you to finish school,
24:35and to not work from home,
24:37and to not work from home,
24:38then let's help our tribe first.
24:39then let's help our tribe first.
24:49The class finishes at 5 p.m.,
24:54but instead of going to their homes,
24:57went straight to the Church of the Ascended Mothers of the Church Of Christ of Latter-day Saints.
25:04Every day, the members of the Church Of Christ of Latter-day Saints pray here in Bangluan.
25:09They thank God every morning,
25:12and before the day ends, they thank God again.
25:16Despite all their trials and tribulations,
25:20they are still thankful for all the blessings.
25:23In a place where roads, electricity, food, and daily necessities are scarce,
25:32I can't help but think about how they are still thankful every day.
25:43But after I met the children who are ready to pursue their passions of knowledge,
25:51and the teachers who will teach them well,
25:56I can't help but think about
26:00how I would feel if I met Teacher Lenny,
26:04who chose to return to the land where he was raised
26:07so that no child would be left behind.
26:10I wonder what the children are thankful for.
26:15I am very proud to be a member of the Church Of Christ.
26:18I am a member of the Church Of Christ.
26:20Because I was raised in a good family,
26:26I know God,
26:30I don't have any problems,
26:32even though I am far from God.
26:36I am very proud.
26:38The Church Of Christ is still here.
26:40It is not gone.
26:42The Church Of Christ is still here.
26:44It is not gone.
26:46The Church Of Christ is still here.
26:48The Church Of Christ is still here.
26:55I hope that the time will come when no child will be hungry.
27:05I hope that the time will come when no child will need to go to school
27:10just for education.
27:15I hope that the time will come when all places will be served,
27:21even if it is hidden in the middle of the mountains.
27:27I am Kara David, and this is Eyewitness.
28:10For Public Affairs, YouTube channel.