I CAME. I MODELED. I EMPOWERED OTHERS. I SET THE STANDARDS
Public Schools District Supervisor
East Butuan District III
Butuan City Division
According to John C. Maxwell, “we are created to make a difference”.
We all have our personal timelines-in life, career, and personal goals. This goes with the quote which says, “To be a star, you must shine your own light and follow your own path, because in the darkness, that is when stars shine the brightest”.
I started my career in DepEd way back 2002 as a grade six adviser in Bagong Silang ES, one of the remote schools in South Butuan District II-no standard classroom, no water, no electricity. But my entry in DepEd was not that easy. Some questioned why I was given a permanent item since I have no teaching experience and when I handed my advice order to my bosses, they asked me who my backer was. I told them that I don’t need a backer to be appointed as a permanent teacher, my papers would speak for my worth. I could still remember their faces. The very faces who belittled me that time. I heard negative feedback from them, but I never bowed down to their level of unprofessionalism.
I continued my job with passion burning in my heart to impart knowledge to the kids in such a remote place. Years later, I was transferred to Kauswagan ES with no classroom- same learning atmosphere but with the same passion-to teach, to educate, to impact change in the lives of many. My PSDS that time forced me to accept the role as a teacher-in-charge even if it is against my will since the assigned TIC will be transferred to other school. With no doubt, I refused his offer because I know how difficult the role is especially when you are just young in the service. I had no choice that time. The role was given to me and at the same time, as a multigrade teacher handling grade 5 and 6. That was my first time as a school head and the rest is history.
I took and finished my MA in 2008 and was promoted to HT2 and HT3 through ERF. I was very competitive since I entered DepEd. I brought my learners in various competitions and won. We represented our district in the division level and won. What is funny here was some of my colleagues were not happy because it is difficult for them to accept the fact that they were defeated from a multigrade school and from a remote school. Well life is like that anyway.
Our life there was difficult -still no water, no electricity that time. We stayed in one of the classrooms for one week because the road there as was like 1-peso coin away from heaven. I could hardly imagine how we survived and how we were able to educate our learners as well as their parents in our own little way.
I took the principal exam when I was qualified not just once but twice. My first try was so heartbreaking when you knew that I needed only 1 point to make it in the list. I cried so hard. After that heartbreaking first try, I finally made it in my second try with God’s perfect timing and plan. Being a principal passer was my ticket to a brighter future and my ticket in elevating my position and it’s true. It took me many years waiting for a principal item. I enjoyed being an HT3 in Mandamo ES and at the same time a grade 4 adviser because my PSDS again did not allow me to occupy a full-fledged school head even if I am already a principal passer. Well anyway, that’s life after all.
Mandamo ES that time was still a multigrade school but mind you, we won 3rd place in the national search for outstanding PROJECT W.A.T.C.H best implementer representing Butuan city division and Caraga region in general. After my stint in Mandamo ES, I was transferred to La Trinidad ES and stayed for 2 months only because I was forced to accept my new station to be “part of the solution of the problem,“ as they said. That was again heartbreaking. But before I left LTES, I left one award as 3rd place Child Friendly School System (CFSS) and Child Protection Policy (CPP) best implementer non-central school category division level. My winning style of leadership continues to blossom like flowers in the garden where every school I was assigned gained various recognitions and awards in the division, region and national level not because of me but of the people who propelled to be my support system, my guide and provided powerful energy that ignites our passion to excel and prove our worth as teams.It was only Bit-os ES where I was promoted as principal-1 through ranking (rank 1) which took me 12 long years to achieve that goal. Awards kept on flowing and promotions, too. Because of our outstanding performances, the school received several awards like 4th place Search for Brigada Eskwela Best Implementing School-Small School Category and Top 20 Schools-Most Prepared School, and the school was monitored by the CO, RO and SDO in our implementation on school learning action cells.
I was then promoted to P2 and P3 year after year through ranking. Again, that was never easy for me for I experienced the worst scenario before I got promoted. My papers were not accepted with no explanations at all. And so, to satisfy my own curiosity and to answer my questions why, I consulted CSC about it, and they told me that I am very much qualified for the position based on merit and fitness. They added that it had to go with the trust and confidence with the appointing authority. So right there and there, I went to the OSDS to get my papers and I received the most painful answer from the person whom I trusted the most. She just told me in front of my face that I was too young to get promoted for the position and just file for the next ranking. I went out from the office with tears fell from my very eyes-weary, heartbroken. I went back to school and continued my routinary tasks. I waited that perfect time and finally my prayers were answered. I got my P2 and P3 through ranking (rank 1). I was awarded as the outstanding school principal with one of our teachers as the outstanding teacher. Then as a P3, I was transferred to one of the farthest central schools in the division which is Tungao CES- in my alma mater dear.
Our winning ways continue to shine in my Alma Mater dear-Tungao CES. The school was recognized and awarded with various awards and recognitions from various award-giving bodies which give due recognition to school in its excellence in implementing various programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) recognized by DepEd. Here are the lists of awards and recognitions that Tungao CES received- 2019 Regional Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly School (First Runner-Up), Nestle Water Leadership Award (First-Regional Level), Gawad Kalasag Citation (Regional Level), SBM Level 3 (Regional Level), Regional Search for Best School Implementer of the CFSS SY 2017-2018 (Third), 2017 Regional Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly School (Third), Meralco Leadership Energy Category (Third Runner-Up-Regional Level), 2019 Outstanding School in Elementary (First-Division Level), Gawad Kalasag Best Implementer (First-Division Level), 2019 Brigada Eskwela Best Implementer Medium School Category (Second-Division Level), Regional Winner during the Nestle Water Leadership Award (Winner-Division Level), Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly School (First-Division Level), Excellence in School Governance Award, (Division), 2018 Brigada Eskwela Best Implementer Medium School Category (Second-Division Level), SBM Level 3 (Division Level), 2018 Most Prepared School (First-Division Level), 2018 Division Search for Most Child Friendly School (First), 2017 Sustainable and Eco-Friendly School (First-Division Level), 2019 Clustered District Science Fair and Quiz (Champion), Sustainable and Eco-Friendly School (First-District Level), 2019 Search for Outstanding School (First-District Level), Nutrition Month Competition (Champion-District Level), OK sa DepEd Best Implementer (Winner-District Level), 2018 Clustered District Science Fair and Quiz (Champion), 2018 Paligsahan sa Buwan ng Wika (Champion-District Level), 2018 Nutrition Month Celebration (Champion), and 2017 District Reading Festival (Champion).Moreover, the school was monitored by some of the personnel from the central office in its implementation of various programs and projects. ASEC GH Ambat visited the school to closely monitor the opening of classes. YES-O program implementation was also monitored by the CO and EMB-Caraga and in the implementation of DRRM and LAC sessions. This clearly proved that excellence was evidently observed in the said program implementation. With those outstanding accomplishments, some people labelled me as an “achiever with a bad attitude”. The logic is simple-you cannot please everyone. As long as I know my worth, I know where to stand. I was then promoted as principal IV through ERF and transferred to the biggest elementary school in Caraga which is Butuan Central Elementary School. And the waves of change started.
In the waves of change, we find our true direction. School heads may come and go. We do not stay for a lifetime in a specific school. Sometimes, we need to spread our wings and get out from our comfort zone in order to gauge ourselves whether or not we can thrive anywhere to become a better version of ourselves. As always, there’s no permanence in life…only change…today is a change of leadership Not because we don’t have a choice but because it’s a call of duty. 5 years? 3 years? 2 years? A month or so? Well, it’s beyond our power. for me, a real power is not about position. It’s not about whom we know and what we know. It’s about influencing others to carry the torch of empowerment, support, collaboration, respect, decency, and service for others. The influence of making others better version of themselves is indeed vital and empowering. As Lisa Haisha once said, “Great leaders don’t set out to be a leader. They set out to make the difference. It is never about the role – always about the goal.
Weak leaders measure success by money, position, and power. Strong leaders measure success by the difference they made in other people’s lives. The secret to the success in one’s career is to hire good and right people-not whom you know and what you know. trust them to do their jobs, and bring out the best in them, not the stress in them. Good people need little to no management. They need fairness, support, clarity, transparency, accountability, and encouragement. But most of all they need leaders who care. If we don’t care about people, we don’t deserve to be leaders. BCES is totally an unknown territory for me. I expect resistance to change. I expect no perfection in my leadership and management. I expect questions from you, the doubts and the unfamiliarities…like…ngano xa man ang ge butang diria?well, sila ra jud ang makatubag ana…hahaha… Some people labeled me as “achiever with a bad attitude”. Ang dami cu dw awards and recognitions in every school I managed and yet d cu dw mapasa-pasa ang attitude cu. Bakit may perfect ba na attitude? Exam ba ito na kailangan cung ipasa?ang iba nga d kayang ipasa ang multiple choice na exam. This is my simple response: napepeke po ang attitude just to impress others and to acquire personal benefits. I don’t need to fake my attitude just to impress others. I show it right in front of your face! In Tungao Central, we personify dominance…we set the standards…we set the reference point for others to follow…we personify dominance, standards and reference point in terms of our way of implementing various DepEd programs such as SBM, child friendly, eco-friendly, DRRM, research, Brigada eskwela, OK sa DepEd to name some. These programs occupy a very special place in my heart. Therefore, expect that we will implement them here. Let us all Be the standard against whom all others are measured. starting today and beyond, under my transformative leadership, let’s bring back the glory of Butuan Central and make it the show window of Butuan City division in the implementation of those programs. Let us showcase what this school could possibly offer. We all have the resources both man and machine. Let’s rise above mediocrity. I cannot do it alone. Be with me. work with me. For I believe that together, we can make a difference…together we can make things happen…because together, there is strength and power. Like branches on a tree, we grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one. Each of our lives will always be a special part of each other. Join me in this very challenging journey…my leadership journey because I know, we can. Lastly, I would like to share with you this line, throw me to the wolves and I shall return leading the pack. And according to Matshona Dhliwayo, “Persevere like a seed; even when people try to bury you, flourish. “Let’s start inspiring one another because I do believe that one person can inspire a generation to work endlessly, dream without boundaries and never ever give up.My long and arduous years of being a school administrator offer me a lot of opportunities, opportunities to self-actualize, metamorphosize, and to embrace my weaknesses and strengths not just an individual but also as a school leader. It was never easy, there were times that I questioned myself why I am here, but I thank the Lord and the people behind my back for making me realize that I am here because someone out there needs me, someone out there believes in my capacity. That thought alone intensifies my burning spirit to continue the path which God had designed me to walk through. I learned so many lessons from my firsthand experiences and to the people who had served as penumbral light that ignites my path whenever I succumbed in the darkness of frustrations and disappointments, criticisms and negativities from people who belittle me. I thank the bad days I had because it gave me reasons to metamorphosize, to change into something which I never thought I could be. I had encountered struggles and adversities in my leadership career which push me beyond my limits. Yes, those days were tough, but I strongly believed that the harder the struggle, the glorious the triumph. In fact, no one becomes a genuine triumphant without experiencing pressures in life. Whenever I get pressured with administrative functions and leadership concerns, I always think of how grapes are fermented to produce the best wines. That thought made me think that pressures in life are designed to bring out the best in us. Now that I am about to commence my career as a school principal, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people who had helped me build myself into someone who is resilient, compassionate, and responsible in all walks of life. Thank you so much. I remember what Bill Gates said in one of his press fora, and I quote ”I was lucky to be in the right place and at the right time. But many others were also in the same place. The only difference is, I took action”. I modeled. I empowered others. I mentored others. Leadership by example so to speak. I am humbled and proud being chosen to be in this new position and I should say that I had achieved this simply because I took actions with my aspiration; not that I am standing on the shoulder of the giants, but simply because my aspirations are greater than the centripetal forces that pull me to move back. I know that great position requires greater responsibilities-whatever is that I am ready to face them with thrust and confidence that I could be able to perform my duties and responsibilities as District In-charge. I do not know what lies ahead of me in this journey, however, I will embrace it with an open heart and an open mind knowing that I am chosen because there is something special in me which makes me unique and relevant in this new assignment. I may be new in this field but i will make sure that I can be able to perform my duties more of what is expected of me. Many would doubt, many would question, but one thing is for sure, I am standing on the gap because I am called for it. After all, God did not promise me to have a smooth journey like silk, so many setbacks, downfalls, challenges, broken dreams but at the end of the day, what is more important is how graceful I am in rising from falling. God assured me of His presence-anytime, anywhere.
In this journey, I learned a lot of lessons of creating my own brand of leadership, of standing out without the reservation to grandstand others, having courage to change for the better. After all, it is your difference, not your similarity that makes you stand out. If you want to stand out, be outstanding. If you want to be outstanding, be the standard. My team sets the standards of whom other will follow and make it as their reference point. Don’t just be yourself. Always be your better self.
