MALAYBALAY CITY – It was a beautiful Friday evening of October 12, 2018 and the Kaamulan Folk Arts Theater was fully packed with various stakeholders, teachers, students and officials. Institutional Conferment (ICON) is the brand of DepEd Malaybalay City showcasing achievements of teachers, non-teaching personnel, students, school heads and stakeholders.
As an opening, the history of the Division was presented in a video clip showcasing the accomplishments since 2009 up to present. From 797 personnel back in 2009 to more than 2,100 today indicates the growth of the Division.
A prelude to the event was given by Rebonfamil R. Baguio, Schools Division Superintendent where he said that “everybody has a mental model of an icon, it may be a person who is living in a castle, a person who is part of the Forbes 100 list of richest men or probably one who give you the best times of your life”. For him, his personal icon is significantly conceived in a student named Nicole Carlisle Saludsod of San Jose Elementary School. Nicole is part of the second shift in the afternoon but wakes up early to tag along his siblings and neighbors who are part of the morning shift, Nicole and the 50,000 more students of the city represented in him that he too can wake up early and change paradigm. The Superintendent shared that these students have given him enough learning to be serious with his duties, exhibit dedication and integrity and extend a lot of effort so that he too can be a true leader and an icon in this city. He further reflected that there are a lot of learners who wakes up even before the crows cock in the morning just for them to be in the school. Sharing the same pledge with the Regional Director as Career Executive Service Officers, he said that he will bring change where it is needed, expertise where this is missing, and leadership where this is wanting. In closing he said, that “Together as the year unfolds for the City of Malaybalay let us create beautiful, remarkable and significant worthwhile iconic stories that every day, every hour, every minute and every second, this will be etched in the hearts of the communities and into the very soul of our learners whom we will meet along the way.”
The event was graced by Dr. Arturo B. Bayocot, CESO V where in his keynote address he shared the 4C’s a person must have which are character, competence, compassion and courage. Among the four, character is the most important as it is an embedded criteria in recognizing employees. He challenged the school heads to give significant quality time to being an instructional manager despite being a fiscal manager and doing all other functions in the school and community at the same time. The teachers were encouraged to put a heart on what they do so they will not find difficulty in teaching. The Regional Director said, the act of accepting the award is easy but the road to getting to it is not. He then reminded everyone that we do this for the child, that is to give the best education the Filipino children deserve. To him, it was a celebration of victory and commended that it was the best awards night he has ever attended.
Hon. Florencio T. Flores, Congressman of the 2nd Congressional District delivered his message and emphasized that the Division recognizes efforts and accomplishments of the awardees, he promised continued support from the stakeholders as far as education is concerned.
On that same night, the Division Education Development Plan for 2017-2022 and the School Improvement Plan for 2018-2022 were launched and witnessed by everybody as the school heads, DepEd officials and the stakeholders sign the commitment wall.
Among the categories for the ICON award were ICon of Learning Resource, Stakeholders Engagement, Research, Curriculum, Instruction, Teaching and Learning and Services and Leadership. Likewise awarded were the best implementers for Gulayan Sa Paaralan, Brigada Eskwela, Disaster Risk and Reduction Management, Summer Reading Camp and Barkada Kontra Droga.
By: Sibyl L. Maputi