Bring kids to libraries instead, Talisay mayor says

Let the students go to the library instead of letting them go on field trips.

Talisay City Mayor Eduardo “Eddie” Gullas said this yesterday as he welcomed the order of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) suspending all educational field trips following the recent Tanjay, Rizal bus accident which claimed 15 lives, who were mostly students.

“There’s so much for them to learn in school. So much for them. Ngano di man paadtoon sa library? Compel them to read para ma-develop nga inig college unya nila, inig ka professional unya nila, muadto sila og library (There’s so much for them to learn in school. Why don’t we let them to go to the library? Compel them to read, to develop their reading habits so that when they go to college, when they become professionals, they will appreciate going to libraries),” he said.

He cited as an example then Rep. Emerito Tito Calderon of Cebu’s 5th district as the only congressman then that he knew to go to the library of Congress, which he described as one of the most complete libraries in the country.

“Naa’y sample ha. Dili ni nako komedya. We were 115 members of the House in the 7th Congress. Nahibawo ka kinsa’ng congressman ra nga taga-Sugbo nga muadto ug library of Congresss? And the library of congress is one of the most complete, the only congressman nga muadto, Tito Calderon. Kami tanan, congress, library, ari na lang mi sa restaurant, kaon-kaon. Only Tito Calderon mu-sud sa library, mu-research because sa gagmay pa mi, wa mi tudlui pag-adto ug library. Mao na ang atong itudlo sa mga bata (Take this as an example and I’m not kidding. We were 115 members of the House in the 7th Congress. Do you know the only congressman from Cebu who would visit the library of Congress, considered as one of the most complete libraries? It is Tito Calderon. All of us would prefer to eat at the restaurants, but it was only Tito Calderon who would actually go to the library and research. That’s because when we were young, we were not taught to appreciate libraries. That’s what we should teach our children now),” he said.

Aside from that, he also said that field trips would be an added burden to a family, especially those who would be sending several children to school at the same time.

“Ang college, pila ang pangayoon. Ang high school, duha kabuok, pila’y pangayoon. Gadugang-dugang (For their children in college, how much would they ask? If you have two in high school, how much would they ask? Those are just additional expenses),” he said.

He said he was also against having young children going on educational excursions because these students at this age should be given a play day instead.

“Kanang unsa ma’y makuha sa mga bata kanang gagmay kaayo paadtoon, pabisitahon nimo ug mga plants?” he said. “Unsa may makuha nila? Ang importante nga if imbes nga pasuroyon na sila, give them a play day, play time kay ang bata, play gyud. Duwa gyud ang bata (What can really young children get from visiting plants? The important thing is that they should be given a play day or a play time instead since playing is essential for their development),” he said.