Rolly Tablatin: ‘It's All Up to You’

Former street kid Rolly passed the A and E exam along with his brother, Roberto “JR” Tablatin, Jr. (Read JR’s testimony here). Rolly is now eligible to proceed with his secondary education, while JR and other students at CCT Magdalena – Arnold de la Cruz and Daniel Seth Jerusalem – are now qualified to enter college. Last June 13, they all attended a graduation ceremony led by the Department of Education Bureau of Alternative Learning System for the students in Laguna. Below is an excerpt of Rolly's testimony.

I am Rolly Tablatin, 18 years old. I am among those who passed the Alternative Learning System (ALS) Accreditation and Equivalency (A and E) examination. 

When I was about to take the exam, I was nervous but I remembered to pray so that I would feel calm. I just offered everything to God. He gave me wisdom to answer all the questions from different subjects. I did not run out of answers and it seemed like everything that I reviewed was in the exam.

In the essay part, I just kept on writing and I even included a Bible verse. But, I wasn't able to write a long piece because there wasn't enough time. 

I had doubts about passing but I told the Lord, “It’s all up to You. If I would pass the exam, thank You. If I wouldn't, thank You still.”

I thank Him because He allowed me to pass the ALS exam. I also thank those who have been helping me in my studies. May the Lord bless you!

 

Rolly proudly shows his diploma.

Rolly's diploma qualifies him to continue with high school.

 

Rolly (third from the left) attends the ALS graduation
with fellow CCT Magdalena boys.

Beginning 2014-2015: A Photo Essay

Ever wonder what going back to school is like for Visions of Hope Christian School (VOHCS) community-based preschools? Beginning school year 2014-2015 was a fruit of hard work, commitment, and collaboration among VOHCS teachers, parents, Center for Community Transformation (CCT) staff, and leaders in the local community.

Community surveys were conducted to invite pupils to VOHCS. Reading readiness tests followed to assess the students’ learning levels. The students are a mix of sponsored and paying children. The sponsored children belong to poorest of the poor and are unable to afford their education, while the paying students, albeit given substantial subsidy, are children of CCT micro-entrepreneurs. As of August 2014, a total of 836 children are enrolled in 24 VOHCS community-based preschools nationwide.

A VOHCS Irawan teacher conducts a community survey in
Brgy. Irawan, Puerto Princesa, Palawan. 

Reading readiness tests are administered in VOHCS Midsayap. 

Former students and other children in rural and urban poor communities were also encouraged to join the Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade (or Brigada Bata), a character development program carried out once a week with VOHCS students.

Children from VOHCS Jaro and from the community enlist
in Boys' Brigade. 

Boys' Brigade drills start in VOHCS Taguig as the school year opens. 

Help was solicited from the children’s parents to help prepare the classrooms. This is in line with a Department of Education-initiated program called Brigada Eskwela. Parents then attended an orientation meeting where they learned about VOHCS school policies and their role in their children’s education.

A parent from VOHCS Irawan helps prepare the school grounds
for the opening of classes.

Mothers from VOHCS Midsayap help clean the floor of the
school's classroom.

Parents attend a parent orientation day at VOHCS General Santos City.

A VOHCS Midsayap teacher leads the parent orientation. 

Then, it’s all systems go!

VOHCS Butuan's new classroom is ready to use. 

VOHCS Irawan opens in June with 36 students.

Inside the classroom, VOHCS Oton (Iloilo) children learn to fall in line.

VOHCS General Santos children and their parents go out on a parade
of Philippine flags in celebration of the country's independence day. 

Despite Hardships, VOHCS Child Brings Zip to School

Judilyn Bukiron sings and dances to an action song
with her classmates. 

Energetic and affectionate – that’s how Visions of Hope Christian School (VOHCS) Mandaue teachers describe six-year-old Judilyn Bukiron. Despite being underweight, Judilyn brings much zip with her to school. She is bright, fun-loving, and one who quickly finishes her tasks. Perhaps to show them her love and gratitude, she runs to hug her teachers every time she sees them.

The VOHCS Mandaue teachers first met Judilyn when they conducted a community survey in a densely populated area in Mandaue City, Cebu. Judilyn was resolved that she would not enter school anytime soon, but that changed when she and her mother learned about VOHCS. Her father is serving time in jail, while her mother is incapable of work due to goiter. Only Judilyn’s eldest sister, who is married and employed, provides for her siblings when she is able. One of the other siblings struggles to finish grade school while another is mentally unstable and has a baby.

Now that she is learning to read and write, Judilyn dreams of becoming a teacher when she grows up.

Judilyn is one of the six children at VOHCS Mandaue whose schooling is fully subsidized by VOHCS. The preschool has 39 pupils this school year.

Parents Commit to VOHCS Discipleship Meetings

Parents at VOHCS Midsayap regularly attend
discipleship meetings.

What started as an optimistic response to attend weekly discipleship meetings has become an ongoing commitment for parents of Visions of Hope Christian School (VOHCS) children in Midsayap, North Cotabato.

One of the privileges of VOHCS parents is an opportunity to join a discipleship group. Here they learn more about Jesus Christ and grow together in their faith. While this does not sound very attractive to some, VOHCS parents from this predominantly Muslim town have a different attitude. When the teachers met them for an orientation meeting in June, they were positive about its spiritual development program. They compared VOHCS with other preschools in their community and are thankful for its concern for the spiritual growth of both its pupils and their parents. 

Through a holistic academic curriculum that integrates Christian values, the spiritual development program of VOHCS aims to produce mature and spiritually reproductive youth and children who submit to the Lordship of Christ. The program also hopes to deepen the parents’ relationship with God through prayer, sharing the good news, and practical application of Biblical truths. 

The discipleship meetings are held every Friday, led by Center for Community Transformation (CCT) Midsayap branch pastor, Ptr. Joel Tumanding. Ten to eighteen out of 22 parents regularly attend the meetings. They actively join discussions and answer occasional take-home assignments. Some of them have also begun attending the one-year-old CCT community church.

According to one of the mothers, “The discipleship meetings have taught me that God is merciful because He sent His son Jesus to die for the forgiveness of our sins. I am learning more about humility as well. I know that it is hard for one to thrive without God in his life.” She finds sharing time with other parents refreshing.

Teachers, Parents Partner in VOHCS Feeding Program

Parents take turns in preparing and serving food for their children
at VOHCS Malibay.

"Parents are surprised that we can turn something like instant noodles into a nutritious meal,” says Visions of Hope Christian School (VOHCS) Teacher Annabel Autiangco about the menu planning that she and Teacher Ediloisa Alidio lead among parents of VOHCS pupils in Malibay, Pasay. 

Meal planning is part of the school’s feeding program this year. The program started in 2013 with funding from partner organizations Wholistic Transformation and Reform Center (WTRC) and Australia-based Only About Children (OAC), and has helped 43 preschoolers gain healthy weight. It enlists the help of parents who take turns preparing and serving the food. School nurse Nowell Alejo monitors the children’s height and weight. 

Before classes began in June, the parents worked out a division of tasks among themselves. At a ten-peso daily budget per child, they cook heavy snacks like porridge, noodle soup with vegetables, and meat dishes with rice for this school year’s 38 VOHCS Malibay children. They learn in the process that they are responsible for their children’s nutrition and health, and that they too can prepare nutritious yet affordable food at home. 

VOHCS Malibay children love the heavy snacks served during recess.

Teacher Annabel says that the feeding program benefits other children in the community. She tells of a student from a large, poor family who comes to school daily with two younger siblings. The siblings are also fed during recess. 

Malnutrition is a perennial problem of VOHCS children nationwide. Because of poverty, some VOHCS children attend classes on empty stomachs, and they either skip meals or are not given nutritious food at home. They usually struggle with academics because of their short attention span and sluggishness. VOHCS hopes to set up feeding programs in all of its 24 community-based preschools to combat malnutrition.