‘Teacher Jun’

As part of the education cum information campaign of the government, a hardbound comic book was launched last February at the National Library. The comic book especially appeals to the younger generation as future defenders of our West Philippine Sea (WPS). It was conceptualized and designed for the Filipino youth to gain deeper understanding and appreciation of the importance of the WPS.

Aside from our maritime claims around the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), it has been affirmed by the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague in July 2016. These basic facts and details are highlighted by the characters in the comic book “Ang mga Kwento ni Teacher Jun.” 

At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay last April 2, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-WPS Transparency Group head Commodore Jay Tarriela gave us a copy of the hardbound comic book. Initially, it did not dawn on me who is the “Teacher Jun” referred to, until I took a closer look at the book cover. With the main character resembling a caricature of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM), it is a Taglish glossy, 40-page comic book.

The next day, an event held at Malacañang Palace showed PBBM engaged in role-playing as pre-school teacher. Wearing his eyeglasses, PBBM brought along what he would later call his “own distractions,” Oreo and Lucky. “I unfortunately probably made a mistake by bringing two of my dogs and losing my audience immediately. Three- to five-year-olds are not the easiest audience to keep anyway,” the 67-year-old President chortled. 

PBBM read for the uniformed pre-schoolers “Ang Limang Tuta” (The Five Puppies) written by Eugene Evasco and illustrated by Almar Denso. He described the book as “a heartwarming tale about kindness and compassion for animals” that shows that “no one is too young to make a difference in someone’s life.”

“It’s always a joy to see the Palace filled with a new energy, with a new laughter, the curiosity of children. As I’m sure you understand, sometimes the Palace is a very serious, very formal place. And when children come in, it reminds us what we are doing – why we are doing what we are doing,” the Chief Executive cheerfully added.

The colorful comic book about the WPS introduces “Teacher Jun” going to the Rizal High School in the island of Palawan. Ready with his lesson plan for that day, his five young junior high school boys and girls in the Social Studies class showed high interest and led the discussions about the WPS.

 In the first chapter, “Teacher Jun” cites our country’s Constitution as basis of his lesson about the WPS. In the sixth and last chapter, the five high school students spend the weekend together by the seaside, mulling about their future. Regarded as the class “leader,” Nelson sees himself enlisting as Coast Guard officer. Known as the “naughty” student, Mark dreams of becoming a diplomat. Morris, a son of a fisherman in the WPS, wishes to become an environmentalist. Described as the “most intelligent” in the class, Anna wants to be a scientist. And Donna, who is said to be the “most inquisitive one,” plans to take up law.

“We’re doing this comic book to simplify (understanding) because we know WPS is a very technical issue,” Tarriela explained.

“It is in English-Tagalog. So this comic book is parang UNCLOS for dummies,” Tarriela cackled.

Tarriela is very grateful to the “donors” that chipped in and bankrolled the publication of the comic book “for us to complete this project.” Describing them as “friends” from the private sector, Tarriela declined to identify them. Printed at the back of the book, Tarriela read: “Walang pampublikong pondo ang ginamit sa pagsusulat at paglathala nito.”

Giving his own comment: “It is unlike other comic books that asked funding from Congress,” Tarriela quipped, coupled with impish wink.

The first 10,000 copies were printed and distributed to the participants who joined and registered as runners in the Manila leg of the “Takbo Para sa West Philippine Sea, Ang Yaman Nito ay Para sa Pilipino” (Run for the WPS, Its Resources are for the Filipinos). Held in July last year, the fun run aimed to raise public awareness and showcased a united front for our country’s maritime territorial integrity in the WPS.

The event also highlighted public-private and inter-agency collaboration in promoting and protecting the Philippines’ national interests. Together with the National Task Force West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) were the PCG WPS Transparency Group; the Presidential Communications Office (PCO); the Philippine Information Agency (PIA); the National Security Adviser (NSA); the Department of Education (DepEd); the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

According to Tarriela, the comic book was “conceptualized” by active WPS advocates led by retired Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio and professor Jay Batongbacal. “Because we want the school children to understand. So the content of this book was vetted by legal luminaries to simplify it, so even the youth who read can understand it, people from all walks of life, from the young to old ones,” Tarriela pointed out.

Tarriela clarified though the public can get a hardbound copy of the comic book for P250 each as “donation” to the publishing house of the NTF-WPS Transparency Group. “At tulad ng ating mga lupa, dagat at kasarinlan – bawal ipagbili ang komiks na ito,” Tarriela read from the back of the comic book.

Or the public can get it for free on soft copy using the QR code to download at the NTF-WPS Transparency office website available online, he suggested. Tarriela urged the senators and members of the House of Representatives to help widen the distribution of the comic book, up to the grassroots level.

 For now, Tarriela counts on the print power of the “Teacher Jun” comic book to help them in the information war to counter the “fake news” of the pro-China narratives online.