Ugnayan ng Pahinungod held a ceremonial deployment of two (2) Gurong Pahinungod (GP) 4.0 volunteers to the Department of Education-Division of Antique on June 14, 2021. They are Ms. Claizza Regalado, a graduate of BS Food Technology at UP Los Baños, and Ms. Celine Ningas, a graduate of BA Psychology at UP Visayas, who are licensed, professional teachers. Ms. Regalado wanted to be a Gurong Pahinungod to give back to the nation and to help the education sector in her own way. Ms. Ningas is a long-time Gurong Pahinungod volunteer from 1999-2005 assigned in Tawi-Tawi, Barbaza, Antique, and Sapi-an, Capiz. To Ms. Ningas, voluntarism has always been in her heart. They will be working with DepEd Antique Supervisors on a blended approach.
Ugnayan ng Pahinungod System Director Dr. Grace Aguiling-Dalisay said in her message Pahinungod is committed to partnering with DepEd to further and jointly work together towards the continued improvement of the quality of education in our country. She said, “It has been a challenge given the difficulties that everyone has experienced because of the pandemic; we have learned new ways of working together and creative ways of making our mission-vision alive.” She thanked Superintendent Dr. Felisa Beriong, and DepEd Antique, and all those who have worked hard to make this program come true in this time of the pandemic. Dr. Beriong, on the other hand, said, “Kami po ang may malaking dahilan para magpasalamat.” She said that when the pandemic happened, so many new things were introduced, and they were forced to adapt to it and do something about it. She said they were so excited and considered it a big blessing that Pahinungod was there to lend a hand.
During the virtual pinning, UPV Pahinungod Director Ruben M. Gamala stated that despite being in a pandemic, he hoped that the ceremony would inspire the two volunteers to do well and uphold the UP values of honor and excellence as they start their engagement as teaching partners of the Department of Education-Division of Antique. In his closing remarks, Director Gamala gratefully recognized Dr. Aurora Fe Bautista for being the guardian angel of Pahinungod for her unending and untiring support to the program, being a strong believer of voluntarism herself. She is an educator by heart and calling, an expert on curriculum development, and the enduring friend of the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod. Director Gamala called Dr. Bautista a phenomenal UP educator with a heart.
He also acknowledged UP Mindanao Pahinungod Director Michael Gatela as Chair of GP 4.0, a GP pioneer himself who lived the life of GP in the most challenging areas of Mindanao. In managing GP 4.0, he said Mr. Gatela brings with him a rich repertoire of experience on top of his passion for serving the Filipino youth through access to quality education. He also expressed gratitude to Ms. Megan Rayala, the GP System focal person and the lone GP in 2018-2019, who shall be seeing to it that the program is running the way it should be. On top of all this is the tight guidance and support of Dr. Grace Aguiling-Dalisay, UP System Director, Ugnayan ng Pahinungod.
Mr. Edward Baña, DepEd Antique Supervisor and former pioneer GP himself, warmly welcomed the two volunteers and thanked the UP Pahinungod family for this partnership and noble collaboration for better education. He said that this is another milestone for DepEd Antique’s dream to provide quality and equitable education to Antiquenos.
