All it takes is TEN Moves
Building our country’s future is now just one click or text away.
Every June, the media barrages us with documentaries and special features about our lamentable education system. Exhibit # 1 would always be insufficient classrooms. TV reporters don’t seem to run out of stories of public schools that make do with whatever area the school has to spare and convert it, in bahala na fashion, into a learning environment. In Mike Enriquez’s Imbestigador, a documentary entitled Juan Tanga featured a classroom in a public school in NCR that contained 100 students per class. The student population was so large that even hallways, corridors, and the school garage were converted into classrooms. Naturally, most of the students were not listening anymore to their teacher, not because they didn’t want to, but because they couldn’t. In the Philippine setting, free education does not necessarily redound to learning and understanding.
I do not know if Imbestigador was able to make a follow-up feature on that school, but an NGO established by Ateneo de Manila called Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED) could not content itself with inaction and quickly contacted the school and offered its services. Today, with the help of the local government and the facilitation done by the people behind ACED, the said public school was able to build enough classrooms vis-à-vis its school population. ACED was able to show in video how classrooms are now within the reasonable student-teacher ratio and how every student now has access to decent and equipped classrooms. The improvements were so significant that this particular school is currently one of the top performing schools of the city.
It is stories of partnerships between the government and the private sector that seem to have the most extensive and sustainable record of success. Many times, we hear of NGOs coming up with innovative solutions to address poverty in our country. However, financial support for NGOs is very hard to sustain as sponsors and donors cannot be expected to perpetually support an advocacy. The ACED model is notable because as its organizers insist, the government is central to whatever services an NGO group has to offer.
In the same light, the 57-75 Education Reform Movement — an alliance of prominent organizations that include ACED, League of Corporate Foundations (whose members include Ayala Foundation and other CSR offices of big multinational companies), and the Philippine Business for Education, among others — is launching a campaign called TEN moves. The operative word is TEN as people are encouraged to donate P10/day for 10 consecutive months in order to build 10,000 classrooms. In actuality, the Department of Education has a shortage of 66,800 classrooms, but the agency has envisioned that they will be able to build 56,800, thus leaving a shortage of 10,000 classrooms. For this shortage, DepEd turns to the private sector to encourage individuals, families, and most especially companies to commit daily donations of P10 or a monthly donation of P300. All in all, the movement is expected to raise P10 billion in two years.
Leading by example, DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro was the first to commit, giving a portion of his income to build the envisioned 10,000 classrooms. As of the latest update of TEN Moves in its Facebook page, the movement has already received 801 pledges. More is expected as companies like Coca-Cola have been able to encourage hundreds of their employees to join the pledge, showing that support from multinational companies will definitely bring in the numbers to achieve the noble goal.
Even in its earliest stages, the move has already inspired people from far-flung provinces by giving them the message that help is on the way. Mr. Periña, a public school teacher from Bicol, posted in the group page how classrooms are sorely needed in remote provinces. “Hope flooded me when I read about the campaign,” says Mr. Periña, who is banking not just on the success of the movement but also on the spirit of Filipino volunteerism.
The best part about the fund-raising is the convenience in making the donations. When I inquired about the specifics, the foundation quickly responded and presented me convenient options to choose from. One could simply text in his/her donation via GCash or simply enroll in the foundation through online banking. I contribute my monthly pledge whenever I pay my monthly bills online, ensuring that I don’t forget to follow through on my commitment.
Poverty is the result of our collective apathy and negligence as a society. We do not end poverty by giving alms or by buying sampaguita from a street child. This social problem demands a collective solution as well. Thanks to technology, serving the nation does not always demand a drastic change of lifestyle.
For this particular project, all it takes is a resolve to remember texting P10 a day or transferring P300 a month through a mouse click. Charles Read once said, “Sow an act and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny.” By supporting TEN Moves, the bright future we are hoping for our country is now possible through this daily act of nation building.
