Changing moments

DELACERNA

With “Women Make Change” as the running theme of this year’s Women’s Month, the sharing of five women from their respective fields during its kick-off on March 1 made me reflect on my journey as an educator, and how women can really make change work for women.

I started teaching in St. Catherine’s School, Carcar City, Cebu right after graduation from college in the late 60s. I was very blessed to have a principal in the person of Sister Modesta Suico, ICM. A very kind but firm person, soft-spoken, frank and can hold one’s attention, she helped teachers grow personally and professionally. She was very constructive in her comments, observations whether in class, test questions, reports or records. She never encouraged sipsip and she was very fair in dealing with students, teachers or parents. I learned to be orderly to manage my time as I was in charge of many extra-curricular activities, and to be always punctual in submitting anything. After two years, she was transferred to Baguio, but her work ethic and gracious ways left an imprint in me. She passed away in the mid-90s.

When I moved to UP Cebu in the mid-70s, I was again blessed with another principal in the person of Prof. Josephine Garcia-Mangubat, who was every inch a lady. She was such a warm person as I saw from the time I was still applying for the job and gave her my lesson plan for a class demonstration in Literature. She complimented me for my choice of the poem and was very attentive during the demonstration. She was soft-spoken, very articulate, firm but fair. She was very professional in dealing with the students, teachers and parents. She encouraged professional growth among the teachers. Prof. Mangubat also encouraged good communication and was so approachable that I never hesitated to open up to her. After four years, she took a leave for one year to recover from an accident which hurt her pelvis. Then she moved to the college where she taught at the graduate school and became the college secretary for five years. She went to reside in the US for a few years and later became sick and came home to stay until she passed away in 2011.

Good principals help teachers whether new or old grow personally and professionally.

Since I stayed long at UP Cebu (almost 36 years), I was with the UP Alumni Board (Cebu Chapter) from 1998 to the present. The first half of this period I worked closely with Dr. Araceli Gonzales-Almase during board meetings and especially in preparation for the yearly alumni homecomings (then) particularly working on the souvenir program, tokens, the awardees or jubilarians. Through these activities, I came to know many UP alumni of various fields based in Cebu. She is also another every inch a lady, one who exhibits utmost grace even under pressure from the problems and issues in an organization. She was very frank and professional especially in dealing with hostile characters, very organized and dedicated to accomplishing any given assignment.

With science as her background, she developed innovations in science education as she also did when she became the second woman regional director of the Department of Science and Technology. She also stirred my interest in Science. From her I learned that science is the basis of art education for kids where they learn about shapes, colors, and sounds from nature. She was willing to volunteer to do a module on it for a summer art class. After having served the board for a long time, she invited the younger alumni to take over to attend full time to the family business and be a doting grandmother to a growing family.

Along this journey came my involvement with the women’s movement where women really make change work for women. Among these are Vice Governor Agnes Almendras- Magpale and Atty. Virginia Palanca-Santiago, former deputy ombudsman for the Visayas. Both indefatigable and strong women are in government service.

Vice Governor Magpale is on her third term as vice governor and has made a breakthrough by causing the institution of the Provincial Women’s Commission and coming up with the Cebu Provincial Women’s Code and has made the provincial government lead in the cause of women and children.

On the other hand, Atty. Santiago, although retired, is still active in extending her expertise to empower women as the present president of Legal Alternatives for Women Center Inc. that provides legal and psycho-social services to women victims of violence. In conducting paralegal training or seminars or women’s issues, she always starts with the spiritual dimension. She always uses humor in discussing women’s concerns.

Both Vice Governor Magpale and Atty. Santiago are examples of active drivers in bringing about positive changes to the women in Cebu who are also reaping from their development efforts.