Lesser known heroes

Today we honor our heroes. Ordinarily we associate them with the men and women whom we idealize and idolize because of their extraordinary feats of courage, gallantry, nobility and selflessness to the extent of suffering martyrdom or dying for love and service of country and people. Some of them are well known heroes like Rizal, Bonifacio, Mabini, Del Pilar, Luna, Aguinaldo, Abad Santos, and the latest one, Ninoy Aquino whose martyrdom led to the dismantling of a dictatorship and restoration of democracy.

But there are other lesser known and unsung Filipinos who can also be considered heroes because they have shown pluck, tenacity, mental and moral strength in the advancement of the common good and other noble and great causes; because they have done or contributed something good for our country and fellowmen. They also deserve to be honored. They are none other than our teachers and educators past and present. One of them in fact has already been recognized not here but abroad. He is Efren Penaflorida who is one of the CNN heroes of 2009.

Of course, the thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who have sacrificed a lot working abroad are also looked up to as our modern day heroes if only because they have, to a considerable extent, kept our country’s economy afloat. They also deserve to be honored today. Indeed even some of our teachers have also become OFWs working as domestic helpers abroad just to make both ends meet for their families here.

Worth writing about during this time therefore are our classroom teachers. They indeed have an important role in our country because side by side with our parents they are instrumental in shaping our character and personality and in showing how we can become useful members of society. More than helping us achieve literacy, teachers cultivate our good manners and right conduct. They help our parents in educating us on the facts of life and they guide us in developing harmonious relationships with our fellow men. It can even be said that we have produced great heroes and outstanding leaders not only because of exemplary parents but also because of noble teachers. The youth is really the hope of our motherland. But whether this hope will be bright depends a lot not only on parents but also on teachers.

Of course when we talk of classroom teachers, we refer to teachers in all levels of our schooling. Obviously however, teachers in the lower elementary and secondary levels which are the formative years of the youth have greater roles and influence in shaping them and our country’s future. To be sure, our battle against graft and corruption can be won only if we can start developing in the children of today the virtues of honesty, integrity, probity and unselfishness. And teachers have important roles in this aspect.

Thus I find it appropriate to recall now the most important lessons I have learned from my teachers during my formative years which have served as my guiding lights up to now. During the early years of my grade school, my teachers taught me the value of God’s creations, of all living things more especially human lives. I learned to value life as God’s greatest gift; and this undoubtedly accounts for my present steadfast stand against any move to desecrate and disregard the right to life of the unborn from the moment of conception.

Valuing God’s creations as taught by my teachers then also instilled in me love for our fellowmen and for all things around us — our environment. These are lessons that stimulated me later in life to join groups and organization engaged in humanitarian services and the protection of our environment.

During the later years of my grade schooling up to the end of my secondary education, the most important lessons I learned from my teachers were self-discipline, respect for elders and love of country. Singing of the National Anthem and reciting of the oath of allegiance to our country were done regularly. Inside the classroom, not a drop of pin could be heard as pupils intensely listened to every word coming out of the authoritative lips of our teachers who commanded filial respect not only because of fear of being subjected to disciplinary actions but mainly because of admiration. These lessons indeed have inspired me to do what I can do to make this country a better place by writing this column for the past 23 years as a way of helping the people understand our laws and informing them about what is happening to our country.

Hence our teachers, active or retired, really deserve to be honored. Fortunately, some private groups have seen fit to accord them such honor by awarding outstanding teachers chosen after a thorough search. This is mainly the project of the Metrobank Foundation Inc. (MBFI) with the participation of PS Bank and Rotary Club of New Manila East. Tomorrow, August 31, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. the awarding ceremonies will be held at Malacanang officiated by P-Noy himself.

Actually the awarding ceremonies is the highlight of the Teacher’s Month Campaign (TMC) conceived in July 2008 by MBFI, De La Salle Philippines Inc (DLSP) Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) and Campaigns Social Response (CSR) with the special participation of the Department of Education and support of key business institutions. The TMC with the theme “My Teacher, My Hero” will be launched on September 3, 2010 and culminated on October 5, 2010 which is World’s Teachers Day inaugurated by UNESCO way back in 1993. The TMC Council of Leaders is chaired by Mr. Washington Sycip and the Steering Committee is co-chaired by MBFI president Mr. Aniceto M. Sobrepena and Dep Ed SecretaryBro. Armin A. Luistro.

So let’s use this occasion “to celebrate the unique role and service that teachers play in guiding families, strengthening communities and building the nation”. Everyone who has been a student can say “thank you” to at least one teacher who has made a difference in his or her life; or they can write a letter, send a card or gift.

Tomorrow August 31, 2010 is the awarding ceremonies of the Metro Bank Foundation’s search for outstanding teachers.