WITH the education sector still facing challenges brought about by the pandemic, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones waxed historical as she rallied stakeholders to contribute to the improvement of the public-health situation.
During the virtual symposium on the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines (QCP), Briones asserted that the victory of Filipinos during the Battle of Mactan should be the nation’s inspiration to rise above the health crisis.
“The bravery and victory of Baganis will be our inspiration toward victory against [the health emergency…the time will come when we will eventually defeat it],” the secretary stated.
“Let us sustain within us the spirit of heroism and humanity in fighting the challenges of our time,” she added.
Briones also urged teachers in araling panlipunan or social studies, and edukasyon sa pagpapakatao to enlighten learners on the victories of Filipinos during the pre-Spanish era.
“Since most of the accounts on the Battle of Mactan are Euro-centric, I grew up thinking…we were discovered by the Spaniards. We used the Philippine Readers as elementary students from [the 1920s to the 1960s.] Now, how many million learners’…minds were conditioned to this thinking?” Briones rhetorically queried. “We have a lot of work to do—especially…the Department of Education [DepEd]—to break this perception of ‘being discovered,’ and teach learners that even then, we had a vast culture of victories.”
She added: “I grew up reading comic books with Bagani as characters. When we think of Baganis and [our defenders, they lead where he needs to lead without expecting anything in return, not thinking he should do something to be] a hero.”
Bagani is a Manobo word for “warrior” and “leader.” It also happens to be the title of the theme song of the 2021 QCP.
Meanwhile, Finance Undersecretary Annalyn M. Sevilla, who served as the department’s representative in the National Quincentennial Committee, elaborated the essence of celebrating the historic event that happened on April 27, 1521:
“It ignited the Filipino spirit of bravery, humanity, unity and heroism,” Sevilla said. “Our founding fathers have offered and sacrificed everything to ensure and secure our independence as a nation. Therefore, it is our obligation as successors to fill-in and safeguard our independence that our heroes earned.”
At the latter part of the virtual symposium, Education Undersecretary for External Partnerships Tonisito M.C. Umali Esq. discussed the legal bases of the commemoration and its present importance.
In celebration of the 500th anniversary of the historical event, DepEd, alongside the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, hosted the virtual symposium to open the discourse on the role of the country in the first circumnavigation of the world, the victory in the Battle of Mactan, and other events related to such. History professor Xiao Chua from De La Salle University also gave a lecture.