When one looks back to his years in school, one often remembers one or two teachers who had made an impact in one’s life, who might have led him to where he headed in his career. His teacher may have been a “favourite” or a “terror”, but nevertheless, he or she may have had a lasting lesson or memory that one reminisces about.
I remember at least three teachers who, in one way or another, influenced me to become a person who loves writing, and whose career had bloomed as a result of the inspirations these teachers, who were all nuns in Saint Theresa’s College, provided me with. Sister Adolphine in her way was a terror—teaching us to declaim or orate, or simply speak to an audience with confidence: From the back of the room she would shout, “Louder!” Miss Consuelo Varela, later Sister Consuelo, instilled in me a love of literature, particularly English literature—I learned the poem “The Hound of Heaven” by Francis Thompson from her and, to this day, this is by far my most favourite of all poems (in fact, I wrote an article expressing my awe for this poem in one of my columns in one broadsheet). Miss Jo de los Reyes, “our jo” who also became a nun, was a charming and kind mentor we all idolized—I also wrote about her in a column. In fact, all three of them somehow helped me move up in the career ladder, writing economic reports (I had joined the Department of Economic Research of the Central Bank), becoming a ghost writer and simply writing columns, the latter eventually being fodder for what has been called the “apostolate of public opinion”. Indeed, I would say that the most important thing a teacher can do is to provide his or her students with confidence, tenacity, integrity and a love for whatever course to take or career to pursue.
Considering my regard for teachers, I am delighted that our country has given tribute to teachers through the celebration of National Teachers Month (NTM) from September 5 to October 5 of each year, with October 5 as National Teacher’s Day. Back in 2008, inspired by the celebration of World Teachers Day on October 5 of every year at the behest of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), Brother Armin Luistro, F.S.C., then-President of De La Salle University, together with President Aniceto Sobrepeña of Metrobank Foundation, spearheaded the Teachers Month Campaign. Sobrepeña has been an active and guiding spirit in our country’s campaign to celebrate teachers.
2011 and 2012 were banner years for the campaign as former President Benigno S. Aquino III issued a Presidential Proclamation 242, which declared “the period from September 5 to October 5 of every year as National Teachers Month”. Further, Republic Act 10743 in January 2016 officially designated the culminating activity on October 5 as National Teachers Day.
NTM’s mission is to engage the public in appreciating the contributions of Filipino teachers and the nobility of the teaching profession. The NTM Council spearheads the conduct of activities aimed at generating awareness and expressions of gratitude, leading to the long-term goal of creating a strong movement that cultivates a Filipino culture that celebrates all teachers’ service and heroism.
As a result, two invitations to participate in Unesco Paris for World Teachers Day celebrations have been received, as well as an endorsement from Unesco Philippines to submit in the prestigious Hamdan Prize for Education. It would indeed be a great honour if our country was to receive that prize.