San Miguel Elementary School: Blessings that were meant to be

Manila, Philippines - From the school’s name to how it came to be chosen as The Philippine STAR’s adopt-a-school beneficiary, San Miguel Elementary School’s story is true kismet (meaning destiny in Turkish). STAR employee-volunteers flocked to the school in San Miguel, San Manuel, Tarlac on June 10 to celebrate with the whole community the inauguration of two new school buildings donated through Operation Damayan, The STAR Group of Publications’ social arm.

Many of the dedicated Operation Damayan volunteers had spent the night at the school, preparing the classrooms and facilities and making last minute repairs to get the school ready for its grand opening.

Actual work on the school, however, had been going on since April, when the school was chosen as the adopt-a-school beneficiary. “Pauwi na sila noon… napadaan lang sila dito (They were on their way home… They passed here by chance),” teacher Guvilyn Ortiz shared. She and husband Crisolito Ortiz, Jr., also a teacher at San Miguel Elementary, were getting ready to close the school for the day when members of Operation Damayan passed by after canvassing many other potential beneficiaries.

“Para talaga ito sa San Miguel (This is really meant for San Miguel),” said teacher Baby Anona Martin, reflecting on the circumstances that led to their school being part of Operation Damayan.

Just two months after that fateful visit, San Miguel Elementary School was ready for the new school year, bathed in bright and cheerful yellows and blues.

This year’s project with San Miguel Elementary School is Operation Damayan’s 10th Adopt-a-School project and, at almost P3 million, it is the biggest to date, in line with The Philippine STAR’s 25th anniversary.

Help could not have come at a better time for the students of San Miguel Elementary. “Dati kawawa kami, hindi pinapansin. Ngayon sobra-sobra ang pinagbago (Before we were so pitiful and no one paid any attention to us. Now we have undergone a significant change),” said a grateful Ramon Salvosa, the school principal, adding that the lives of so many students will improve because of this.

“Last year we had 43 students, now there are more than 200,” he said. Because of the increase in enrollment, the school now offers up to Grade 5 and the grade levels that were previously taught in a combination class can be given separately this school year.

San Miguel Elementary School has four new classrooms, a clinic and library furnished with books donated by STAR employees, and a faculty room – worlds away from the one-story building that they had before, with only three classrooms.

It was this festive atmosphere of the new school opening that students woke up to early in the morning of June 10. They were treated to a breakfast of champorado cooked for them by Damayan volunteers, who got up in the wee hours of the morning to prepare for the day’s activities. With games and prizes and lunch from Jollibee, the kids really became more excited about going to their new school. They also received uniforms – volunteers clothed each student personally – bags, and school supplies, all provided by The STAR.

Throughout the day, the students of San Miguel Elementary School got a taste of the personal service that Operation Damayan volunteers provide to all of their beneficiaries. Among them was the mother-daughter tandem of Angelina and Maria Annamae Isidro. Angelina, finance head at Pilipino STAR Ngayon, shared that she has seen how The STAR has grown through the years and with it, the spirit of volunteerism among the employees.

“Nasa puso talaga nila ang tumulong (It is really in their hearts to help),” she said of The STAR bosses and employees alike. An Operation Damayan volunteer for some 20 years, Angelina says she joined the company’s social arm as a way to give thanks to God for the blessings she has received, adding that she experiences a “happiness within for service.”

Angelina has also been bringing her daughter along to the Damayan outreach activities since Maria Annamae, or Maan, was young. She is glad that her daughter, who is now a student leader at her school, has imbibed the values she learned from volunteering with Operation Damayan.

Maan cited her very first outreach with Damayan as the most memorable. She was five years old when she accompanied her mother and other volunteers to Zambales for another adopt-a-school project. Volunteering with Operation Damayan is an experience that cannot be bought, said Maan, adding that it makes her happy to serve others through the project. She makes it a point to join the outreach projects as often as she can.

The inauguration of the new San Miguel Elementary School classrooms was graced by STAR Group president and CEO Miguel Belmonte and his wife Milette, presidential sisters Ballsy Aquino-Cruz and Pinky Aquino-Abellada, San Manuel Mayor Benjamin Tesoro and Vice Mayor Emmalyn Rillera, representatives of the Department of Education (DepEd), and San Miguel Elementary School principal Ramon Salvosa, together with the school’s teachers, parents and students.

After a noon Mass, the inauguration ceremony commenced with speeches from Salvosa, Tesoro, and DepEd representatives.

The Aquino sisters both thanked Belmonte and The STAR for supporting education, one of the thrusts of the Aquino administration. They also noted the close ties and similar values shared by STAR founder the late Betty Go Belmonte and their mother, former President Corazon Aquino.

In his speech, Belmonte thanked the teachers of the school which, he pointed out, is his namesake, saying that teaching is the most noble job.

He also gave advice to the students who attended the inauguration, urging them to study hard, be obedient to their parents and teachers, be helpful in their own way, and to always pray.

In his response on behalf of his constituents, Mayor Tesoro declared The STAR’s help “hulog ng langit… a gift from God.”

As the inauguration came to a close with a ribbon cutting, students, parents and teachers of San Miguel Elementary school were truly feeling blessed. Amidst the celebratory mood, Julita Asencio was brought to tears. “Na-touch ako at natutuwa sa pagkilos ng Diyos (I was touched and am happy that God has helped us in this way).” She is an alumnae of San Miguel Elementary School, but was not able to finish her studies. She hopes that, with the significant improvements made through the generosity of Operation Damayan, students of San Miguel will learn to value education and be open to better opportunities.