A young girl passes to two empty cooking pots after Members of the Teachers Dignity Coalition headed by Edgar Espina succesfully finished their feeding program to 200 children of sitio La Purisima barangay Guizo Mandaue City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Instead of marching on the streets, the Teachers Dignity Coalition marked World Teachers Day yesterday with a feeding program for 200 children in sitio La Purisima, barangay Guizo in Mandaue City.
“We lack resources but we could never stand to see children going hungry due to the government’s lack of attention,” said the coalition’s president Edgar Espina.
Espina said they are still asking President Benigno Aquino III to grant teachers a P10,000 monthly wage increase.
“Like us, teachers, these children also need attention and care by the government,” Espina said.
The children were fed steaming “pospas” (rice porridge) and given ballpens and story books by the group.
“We’re happy and thanked the teachers who gave these to us,” said Sydell Mae Montejo, a Grade 4 student of Guizo Elementary School.
Espina said the program was funded by teachers and some business friends. Felipa Mangyao of the Mabolo National High School said they are supporting Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino’s Basic Education Teachers Pay Increase Bill bill.