Thoughts on Reading Crisis

 I recently visited the community library of Lavezares Central Elementary School and was truly amazed at how my cousin, Teacher Randy Canales, was able to rehabilitate it after years of inactivity. Thanks, of course, to the local government unit for the funding it provided for the much-needed repairs and for the purchase of essential furniture and equipment.

The construction of the two-story library building was completed in 2013 using solely local funds from the municipal government. Most of the books were donated by Bagong Kultura Pilipino (BKP), a non-governmental organization that works closely with Filipino expatriates in the United States. The shipment of books—donated by schools in the US—was shouldered by the Filipino diaspora and a retired American serviceman, Mr. John Snow.

A few months after the library opened, the US Peace Corps assigned a volunteer, Amy Allen, to the site. She was a godsend. Amy designed the interiors, fixed the furniture, and arranged the books, assisted by Mylene Madayag, a parent-volunteer with a background in library science. The library eventually became a model for other schools. In fact, it received recognition at both the provincial and regional levels of the Department of Education.

I was fortunate to facilitate the partnership with Mr. John Snow and BKP. Through this collaboration, we helped barangay schools establish connections with these donors, leading to the creation of mini-libraries in all public schools in the municipality. I also organized the Lavezares Reading Core Group, and together, we launched annual reading competitions—especially during the National Reading Month in November, which we dubbed the Reading Festival. We also conduct periodic in-progress conferences to monitor the literacy status of schools and districts. In partnership with BKP, we have organized teacher training on effective reading strategies.

In light of the recent dismal performance of Filipino students in international reading assessments and local surveys, I can say that our town had already taken proactive steps long before this reading crisis became widespread. Our efforts may have been small ripples in the vast ocean of literacy challenges, but each initiative made a meaningful impact on our learners.

Still, we face many challenges in the fight against illiteracy. I hope education planners begin to recognize the urgent need to demand accountability—not only from teachers and school officials but also from learners and their parents. We must consider the policy of not promoting non-readers to the next grade level while ensuring that educators are held accountable for their students’ reading outcomes. The problem persists partly because we continue using the same approaches, expecting different results.

Addressing illiteracy requires a whole-of-community approach. It takes everyone to make every child a reader. Playing the blame game won’t help. Learners, parents, teachers, school administrators, and the government each have crucial roles to play—and they must play them well. After all, what kind of present and future generations can we expect if we become a nation of poor readers?

Effective Communication for Young Leaders

I was invited by the officers of the Student Council and other college organizations of the University of Eastern Philippines – College of Arts and Communication to join them in their Mandatory Leadership Training. I readily accepted the invitation, as it came from my alma mater, where I completed my undergraduate degree in Political Science in the year 2000. I saw it as a small way of giving back and a rare opportunity to return to what I consider my second home for more than four years.

The topic assigned to me was “Writing for the Student Council,” in light of my experiences as a secretary. Specifically, I was asked to discuss the formats and techniques in writing resolutions, minutes of meetings, orders of business, memos, letter-invitations, transmittals, and similar documents. During my presentation, I emphasized the critical role that effective communication plays in managing an organization. I told them that all leaders must harness their communication skills—because one essential quality of a good leader is being a good communicator. And the best time to start developing that skill is now, while they are still young.

A leader must be a lover of the written word. He or she must be a voracious reader—of anything that sparks their interest—whether fiction or non-fiction, books, magazines, newspapers, or online materials. I cannot imagine building a career that involves a great deal of writing without having developed a deep habit of reading since I first learned the alphabet. I attribute much of what I have achieved to my consistent practice of reading and writing.

As a leader, one must have a working grasp of various topics. Leaders are constantly exposed to people with diverse interests and perspectives and are often asked for their opinions. Hence, staying informed and updated is not optional—it’s essential.

Effective communication is vital in the exercise of power and influence. How can you inform, persuade, or inspire others if you cannot express yourself clearly? Words have the power to change minds, influence decisions, and stir people into action. But for words to be impactful, they must be expressed with clarity, intention, and artistry. A leader who can articulate their thoughts eloquently can mobilize a community and inspire social change.

Let us also remember that communication involves more than just oral and written expression. It includes tone of voice, diction, pronunciation, and enunciation. On a physical level, a leader must also maintain good posture when speaking, be well-groomed, and uphold proper hygiene. Communication is a total personality package. For your words to be believable, you yourself must appear credible—otherwise, your message may lose its value.

As I ended my one-hour talk before these bright and energetic young student leaders, I challenged them to strive to become master communicators. Doing so will take them far in their leadership journey. Most importantly, I reminded them to use their communication skills not just for personal advancement but in service of others—today, for their fellow students and college, and tomorrow, for the greater public and their country.

Character and Happiness

 Does character still matter?

In today’s social milieu, where instant gratification seems to be the norm for many, character development often takes a back seat. For a lot of individuals, the goal is to accumulate more, experience more pleasure, and travel to new places—because, as they say, “you only live once.”

But what does it truly mean to be happy? The answer, of course, varies depending on each individual’s perspective. For me, happiness is having peace of mind—a peace founded on a clear conscience and on being in a state of grace. It is a peace that cannot be found in any specific place or circumstance, but one that is profoundly nestled in the heart, regardless of the situation one may find oneself in. It is peace of mind not only during joyful and comfortable times, but also amidst chaos and uncertainty. This peace is nourished and sustained by a sound personal character that stands firm amid the ever-changing tides of life.

In searching for what it means to live a life centered on character, I came across the Six Pillars of Character on the website https://charactercounts.org/six-pillars-of-character/. As I read through each pillar, I paused to reflect and examine my own character. These six pillars are: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship.

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Trustworthiness

Being trustworthy means being honest with oneself and with others. It means avoiding deception, cheating, and stealing. It is about having integrity—aligning one's words with one’s actions. It also involves being loyal to one’s principles and values, and standing firm for them.

Respect

Respect means following the Golden Rule: treating others the way we want to be treated. It is about accepting differences, being courteous, and being considerate of others. It includes managing anger, insults, and disagreements in a peaceful and respectful manner.

Responsibility

Responsibility means doing what we are supposed to do in whatever roles we play—whether as a parent, child, friend, or office worker—and doing it well. It requires perseverance and discipline, fueled by a desire for excellence and service to others. It also means thinking before acting and considering the consequences of our decisions.

Fairness

At the heart of fairness is playing by the rules. It involves giving others a fair chance, sharing, listening to others, and being open-minded. Most importantly, it means never taking advantage of others.

Caring

Caring is about being kind, compassionate, grateful, forgiving, and thoughtful toward others.

Citizenship

Good citizenship means doing our part to improve our homes, schools, and communities. It involves active participation in community efforts, staying informed, electing good leaders, being a good neighbor, and making choices that protect the rights, safety, and well-being of others—including the environment.

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What a gentle yet powerful reminder for all of us during these times of ambiguity and confusion. Perhaps we need to take a moment to pause and reflect on these Six Pillars—pillars that shape our character and nourish the peace and happiness within us.

Environmental and Social Responsibility: Face to Face with Young People

One enjoyable aspect of growing older is having the opportunity to speak with children and teenagers about their responsibilities to society and the environment. With what I consider to be a rich experience in advocacy work for the environment and good governance, spanning from my teenage years to my present middle age, I feel confident sharing my thoughts, which I believe they can learn valuable lessons from. This is why I always accept invitations to speak before young audiences, plus the fact that it rejuvenates the young heart in me.

 

In my latest face-to-face interaction with young student leaders from elementary and high schools in my hometown, I discussed the topic of Environmental and Social Responsibility, as assigned to me. I emphasized that as stewards of the planet, we are all responsible for ensuring the protection and conservation of natural resources. Young people can make a significant impact physically, as they have the energy needed to clean and green their communities. It's not necessarily about doing big voluntary work; environmental advocacy starts with each individual, from reducing their carbon footprint to planting even just a single tree, which can already make a significant difference. As older individuals, we can only guide them and be happy and proud of what they're doing.

 

In the context of current social realities, I told the young people that they're being challenged to create safe spaces and inclusive communities where respect for diversity is at its core, whether in real life or in the virtual world of social media. I emphasized that bullying should never be tolerated and that schools and communities should be free from it. 

I also advised them to prioritize education over romantic relationships at this young age. It's saddening to see cases of teenage pregnancy on the rise across the country, and our municipality is no exception. Such increasing demographics of teenage parents will take a toll on the government's anti-poverty programs, as well as the decline of morality and the devaluation of the ideals of what a family, courtship, and marriage should be.

 

I encouraged young people to be part of the solution to the climate crisis and moral decay in society. The best thing they can do is to be part of the solution. In their homes, classrooms, and villages, they can practice simple eco-friendly habits and promote morality-centered communities. This, I believe, is more possible if one is not enslaved by worldly desires but instead focused on doing selfless service to the world. I encouraged them to study the Word of God and manifest it in their lives. 

Ultimately, I advised them to spread love, kindness, and respect wherever they are and to any creature they meet. I believe that's the key to being a responsible steward of the earth and a responsible individual. With everyone being responsible to one another, building a sustainable and safe community can never be impossible.

Life-Changing Talk on Core Personal Values

Why me? That was my knee-jerk reaction when a colleague asked me to deliver a talk on values education on their seminar cum team building in the island of San Antonio, Northern Samar. That colleague told me that they think that I can well deliver on the topic, perhaps, for reasons only known to them. Anyway, I accepted the invitation and off we went together to the beautiful island of San Antonio.

 

It was before the pandemic that I last walked ashore the island of San Antonio. Upon reaching the shoreline after more or less 30-minute motorboat ride from the mainland of San Isidro, I noticed huge number of tourists and several lines of motorboats. The island has quite significantly improved than some five or ten years ago. It was so good to see latest developments in the island especially the new high-end resort hotel just beside the tourists’ port.

 

The venue of the seminar/team-building was in a resort in Lagbangan which is located on the further north of the island. The resort is so clean and cottages were properly arranged. We rested for a while and I got the first turn among the speakers.

 

At first, I told them about my hesitation accepting the topic as I may sound hypocritical as I myself is far from the ideals of possessing the right values. But since I have already committed to it, I have no other choice but to take the challenge. I told everyone not to be judgmental to anyone in the group. I also told them that while I am presenting my talk, I will consider myself a participant also as we all try to rediscover and reexamine our personal values and belief system.

 

I focused my discussion on the seven dimensions of man which I think are the main determinants of human values or the starting point of man’s search for what is good. The seven dimensions include the physical, intellectual, economic, social, moral, spiritual, and political. I discussed in depth each of the dimension navigating thru the aspects on how each of these can be enriched, highlighting spirituality as the foundation of each of these, that God should be at the core of every human activity in each dimension.

 

Through a workshop, I told them to write about their current reality per dimension which can either be positive or negative and also identify which particular habits that they want to stop and to continue.

 

In another workshop, I told them to write their desired vision of themselves per dimension. They have all written their answers on a piece of paper. I observed that all throughout, the participants were listening intently to my lecture and they were so deeply absorbed during the workshop.

 

I hope the one hour that I have with them, letting them look introspectively on themselves and getting them convinced themselves that they need to change some parts of their lives and start a new one, my moment spent with them is worth a lifetime.  

 

 

 

 

Great Moments on a Seminar on Participatory Governance

 

One of my tasks as the sangguniang secretary is to help assist civil society organizations (CSOs) in their application for LGU accreditation being granted by the sangguniang bayan. This was the reason why I readily accepted the designation to act as CSO Help Desk Officer, meaning, I have been doing already a part of the responsibilities of the said designation. Of course, I am not foreign to the workings of a CSO because I used to get involved with some NGOs and people’s organization in my younger years.

 

To further equipped the CSO Help Desk Officers, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) organized the 2025 CSO Desk Officer PAGBA-ID Seminar on June 24–26, 2025, at Hotel Alejandro, Tacloban City with the theme “Strengthening Skills for Effective Engagement.” I participated actively in the discussions and workshops which centered on the roles and responsibilities of the desk officer. When the speaker asked me to recite as to what is the role of a desk officer. I answered that the desk officer is the direct link of the civil society organization to the local government and they are an enabler of people’s participation and empowerment. I ended by saying that a CSO is the first person who believes in the power of the people to effect change and reform in the government, social transformation and sustainable development. For my answer, I got my first prize of a small pack of chocolate. For the next two days, I got a total four rewards in the form of chocolate for getting correct answers during recitations. I also won a chocolate for being the fastest to get the perfect answers in the digital pretest. I missed being in this kind of setting since I left my previous job in the local planning and development office.

 

One best activity during the seminar is what they call Knowledge Café where participants were formed in a group and spent some ten minutes in each table to have a face-to-face clarificatory discussion with a seminar speaker. After the allotted minutes, the group moves from one table to next until they all have an audience with all the speakers. This was new strategy for me and I think it works.

 

I love listening to all the talks which runs from the importance of participatory governance, the accreditation process, organizing the Local People’s Council, establishing safe spaces and effective communication. I also listened and was impressed by the sharing of best practices of some local government units in the region.

 

During the solidarity night, my partner and I won the group contest for best performance, be it singing or dancing. My partner who came from Biliran and I sang the duet of Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang. It was only for fun but I was happy because it was my first to sing in a hotel with a quite larger audience coming from different parts of the region. Our prize was a box of crackers which my group mates have eaten the rest of the night.

 

For these little moments of listening to great topics and the fun along with it, I consider it as memorable three days of my life.  

A Productive and Inspiring Week at the Intensive Course in Environmental Planning (ICEP)

 

I attended the Intensive Course in Environmental Planning (ICEP) last February 12-16, 2024 conducted by the Planning and Research Foundation, Inc. (PLANADES) in cooperation with the UP-School of Urban and Regional Planning (UP-SURP). The seminar was held at the New SURP Building at UP Diliman.

As a lifelong learner in the environmental planning profession, I consider ICEP as a great learning opportunity with the professors’ par excellence in the country. For me, it was both a refresher and a sort of updating sessions after having been away from my formal classes in Diploma in Land Use Planning (DLUP) which I started in 2017 and finished in 2019.

The five-day course has all the topics that an environmental planner must study to be effective in the profession. It started with the discussion of EnP. Ronnie H. Encarnacion on the history and evolution of planning running thru various epochs and development stages that shaped the emergence of various planning theories and principles. This was followed by the lecture of EnP. Krishna V. Buenaventura on City Growth and Planning Theories which has focused on urbanization principles, theories and trends. 

The ethical standards for environmental planners were succinctly discussed by Dr. Corazon B. Cruz. I was reminded of my responsibilities as a planner and to be proud of being one. I am so delighted to meet her and had a photo with her. I told her that she was our guest of honor during our oath-taking ceremony for new environmental planners in Tagbiliran, Bohol in 2017.

I was again amazed and inspired while listening intently to Professor Ernesto Serote whom we regard as the father of local development planning in the country. His topic was Rationalized Planning System (RPS) which he developed and authored. RPS is considered as the bible of local development planning. The RPS was later on adopted by the DILG as its important material in local development planning. I even bought Prof. Serote’s book Property, Patrimony, and Territory and had him personally autographed and posed a picture with him. The first time I had the chance to listen to Prof. Serote’s lecture on RPS was in 2015 in Tacloban City when I attended the seminar for aspiring environmental planners conducted by Philworld Gateway managed by Enp Nick Tabungar.

A lecture on population and demography came next by Prof. Carmeli Marie Chaves and such topic is crucial in planning as the present number of people and its projected increase in a community are prime consideration in addressing current and future needs.

The succeeding lectures have focused on various development sectors and subsectors. These included Social Development Sector Planning by EnP Maria Veronica Arreza-Arcilla; Economic Development Sector Planning by Dean Dina C. Magnaye; Institutional Development Sector Planning by Atty. Mark Anthony M. Gamboa; Infrastructure and Utilities Development Sector Planning by EnP Ma. Sheila G. Napalang, and; Environment and Natural Resources Development Sector Planning by For. Jose M. Ragunay. Transportation Planning was discussed by Dr. Jun T. Castro; Risk Sensitive Comprehensive Land Use and Development Planning by Dr. Engr. Tabassam Rasa; Area Development Planning by Enp Nick Espina, Jr. and; Project Planning by Prof. Crispin E.D. Diaz.

During the weeklong course, I was so glad to have met and saw in person some of my former professors in UPOU, specifically, Dean Dina Magnaye and Prof. Jonathan John Maldupana whom I had the opportunity to have a picture with. One of the lecturers Prof. Nick Espina was also my former professor.

For those who aspire to join the world of environmental planning and be the best in this field, I advise you to attend the future ICEP.