903RD Inf Bde Participates in Promoting Peace Education During Reading Month

            Castilla, Sorsogon, November 26 – Six personnel composed of officers and enlisted personnel of 903rd Infantry Brigade participated in a one-day storytelling activity at San Isidro Elementary School in Castilla, Sorsogon, November 25.

            This is the brigade’s positive response to the invitation of the Department of Education (DepEd) particularly the School Principal of San Isidro, Mr. Teddy Jañola, for some officers and men to read stories to the pupils inside their classrooms in connection with the observance of the Reading Month.

COL FELIX J CASTRO JR INF (GSC) PA, the Commander of 903Bde did not think twice in approving the request of Mr Jañola when he earlier received the invitation letter considering that San Isidro Elementary School is very much close to the heart of the brigade. It can be recalled that the said school has been “adopted” by the brigade, it being considered a pilot School of Peace in Bicol Region and the only one in the entire Luzon island.

 During the reading activity, selected readers went to their assigned classrooms bringing each a copy of prepared story that promotes peace and encourages community cooperation. Pupils gathered around the reader inside the classroom similar to one familiar scene in Filipino  folklore where Lola Basyang reads stories to her very eager listeners, her grandchildren. After the storytelling, the assigned reader asked questions to the pupils in order to test their comprehension of the lessons and whether they have absorbed the peace concept contained in the story.

Aside from 903rd Infantry Brigade, the storytelling activity in San Isidro Elementary School was participated by the local government of Castilla where it sent its municipal administrator to read stories to the pupils. The barangay chairwoman of San Isidro, Hon. Salome Jamores was equally supportive who also took one elementary class where she read a story.

A large group of college students from the Bicol University in Daraga, Albay taking up Bachelor of Science in Peace Studies also arrived and observed the whole activity. With them were Dr. Herbert B. Rosana, Head of Peace Studies Department and Director of Bicol Consortium for Peace Education and Development (BCPED) and Mrs Gina Oropesa, department faculty member.

Dr. Rosana also took time to read a story to the pupils. He shares the same belief as COL CASTRO’s that the stakeholders especially the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace Process or OPAPP should consider the children and the youth as its focus and object of all its peace building initiatives. The effect of this is long lasting and will be deep rooted in the hearts and minds of the pupils.

San Isidro Elementary School has been selected by the Bicol Consortium on Peace Education and Development (BCPED) as a pilot School of Peace. Under this program, the school incorporates peace concepts in their lessons in most of the subjects. Teachers inculcate the value of peace to ensure a brighter future for their young pupils as law-abiding citizens. Teachers, at the same time, are also trained how to reach out to the families of students and other members of the community for a holistic approach to build a culture of peace. They were trained on how to mainstream peace perspectives into the basic education curriculum as well as into school policies, processes and relationships to make them conflict-sensitive and peace promoting.

During an interview with some teachers, they said that they noticed remarkable changes in the behavior of their pupils, who now refrain from saying bad and hurting words to fellow students. They also keep their composure and avoided retaliating when provoked by their classmates. The phrase “peace be with you” has also become the popular saying heard around the campus. School principal Teddy Jañola cited the significance of emphasizing to the pupils the importance of a lasting peace. He implored other stakeholders to support another worthy endeavor this coming December 20, 2011 which he dubbed as “Aklat  para sa Kapayapaan” by donating books to the school. (WFQuerubin, PA/PIA Sorsogon)