MANILA, Philippines - “It’s education that counts wherever you go. The power to deliver the best are the reasons for our beloved Mayor Sonny Belmonte to prioritize education to all children – be they intelligent or average, or below average,” said Dr. Milagros Luang, principal of Rosa L. Suzano Elementary School in Novaliches.
“I agree with Mayor Belmonte, that education in all Quezon City schools offer endless miles to equip them with chances at running the ‘rat race’ in the future,” Luang said.
Gone are the days when there was a dearth of classrooms, that students held classes under the trees, along the streets. This premier city now has adequate classrooms in every school. The number of basic education schools have reached about 50, added to this, is the Quezon City Polytechnic University, where students’ education is subsidized by Quezon City.
Luang said the budget per school is covered by a memorandum of expenditures and depending on the number of enrollees’ needs, maintenance, school supplies, among others. But cleanliness, sanitation, environment upkeep and sanitation are equally important.
While the impression of her subordinates is that she is sometimes hard to approach, she laughed it off, saying there are “minority” teachers (no civil service eligibility yet) whom she encourages to improve their teaching skills, and they are desirous to learn more — “a multi-cultural alliance enriches classroom activities with their teaching skills which is a must in the global village, she said.
Luang added that one important part of their work at Rosa L. Suzano and in Quezon City in general is to move entities to take action and to also get parents who usually don’t talk, but there are lessons to share giving them reason to participate in school activities.
“Our growth reflects the dedication of Mayor Belmonte for the good of his constituents, and we emulate him for that,” she said.
She has gone a long way since 1985 starting as the principal of Dalupan Elementary school in San Francisco del Monte. Balingasa, Kaligayahan, Nagkaisang Nayon (both in Novaliches), Doña Aurora, Doña Juana, Placido del Mundo, Commonwealth and Diosdado Macapagal, in Tatalon, Quezon City.