FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )

First Regular Session )

SENATE

P. S. Res.,N.o.

INTRODUCED BY SEN. JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI

RESOLUTION
HONORING AND COMMENDING THE TEN (10) OUTSTANDING TEACHERS
OF THE 2010 SEARCH OF THE METROBANK FOUNDATION, INC.

WHEREAS, teachers are the torch bearers of our society who infus'e us the
value of right and wrong, educate and train us with useful skills and behaviours and
inspire us to choose paths that redound to the Common Good;

WHEREAS, teachers provide their learners with the rigor and discipline - within
the space and bounds of academic freedom, the Code of Ethics for Professional
Teachers and the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, that will enable
learners to bridge our legacy to the modern advances in science, arts, philosophy and
ethics in order to improve our material, emotional and ideological well-being;

WHEREAS, teachers always strive to display the highest intellectual, moral and
professional conduct that enables them to motivate the learners, the community and the
government to put a high premium on education;

WHEREAS, our society expects teachers to excel in all their endeavours beyond
education and requires them to lead and actively participate in community movements
designed for our betterment, for which they should be well rewarded;

WHEREAS, we recognize the honesty, fairness and dedication that teachers

apply in all activities in the learning process within and outside of the classroom to the
extent of using their personal resources in order to create a stimulating environment for
learning and good citizenship;

WHEREAS, for the last twenty-six five (26) years, the Metrobank Foundation,
Inc., consistent with its conviction to honor the teaching profession as a noble vocation,
has been awarding teachers from all over the country through its Search for
Outstanding Teachers as adjudged by a set of distinguished panel of judges with the
selection of ten (10) winners each year;

WHEREAS, this year's winners consist of four (4) teachers in the elementary,
four (4) in secondary and two (2) in the higher education levels;
 WHEREAS, the following is the Roll of Honors for the 2010 Metrobank
Foundation's Search for Outstanding Teachers with a brief on their professional and
personal accomplishments as provided in Annex A to J:

1. MRS. GRACE U. SALVATUS of the Municipal Sector Elementary

, School in
Calauag, Quezon;

2. MRS. MILADITH B. POLUTAN of Oroquieta City Central Elementary School

in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental;

3. MRS. CONCHITA A. IBARONDO of San Antonio Elementary School in Iriga

City, Camarines Sur;

4. MRS. NANCY S. AQUINO of Mlang Pilot Elementary School in Mlang,

Cotabato;

5. MRS. JANETH MORATA-FUENTES of the Philippine Science High School-

Eastern Visayas Campus in Palo, Leyte;

6. MRS. MERCEDITA S. VILLAMAYOR of Bukidnon State University -

Secondary School Laboratory in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon;

7. MRS. ESTRELITA A. PENA of Kabasalan National High School in

Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay;

8. MRS. MERCELITA J. LABIAL of Xavier University High School in Cagayan

de Oro City;

9. DR. ROWENA CRISTINA L. GUEVARA of the University of the Philippines -

Diliman in Diliman, Quezon City; and

10.DR. RAYMUND C. SISON of De La Salle UniVersity in Taft Avenue, Manila.

WHEREAS, these teachers are epitomes of commitment, dedication and dignity

in a noble profession;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the

Senate of the Philippines, to honor and commend the abovementioned winners of the
2010 Metrobank Foundation's Search for Outstanding Teachers for their laudable
dedication to the teaching profession and their unwavering commitment to attain a high
quality of education in the country.

RESOL VED FURTHER, that copies of this Resolution as well as the

corresponding Annexes be given to the abovementioned outstanding teachers.

Adopted,

/.
 "ANNEX A"

MRS. GRACE U. SALVATUS

Municipal Sector Elementary School
Calauag East District, Calauag, Quezon
Current Position: Master Teacher I
Field of Specialization: English
No. of Years Teaching: 14 years

Mrs. Salvatus introduced a one-on-one teacher-pupil guided reading activity to

address non-readers - the Project GRACE (Guided Reading Activity for
Comprehension Enhancement) which she entitled after her first name. The reading
intervention is coupled with a peer coaching strategy, dubbed as "Pupil Mentor-Mentee
Time" wherein an able reader are given the opportunity to teach the less able readers at
the same time equipping them with the necessary reading comprehension skills. Hence,
she envisions them as young leaders serving as mentors to their peers.

Another original work she innovated is the Concentrated Language Encounter

which aides Grade I and II pupils to become enthusiastic readers and writers which is
now being widely used by teachers in the primary level in their district. She also
developed several starter books for Grade I & II pupils which she based on the
enVironmental, nutritional, and cultural situations of the Filipino leamers. In using these
starter books, several teacher trainings and workshops were spearheaded by Mrs.
Salvatus for primary level teachers for its full implementation. Her expertise in teaching
beginning reading is being sought by her fellow teachers serving as the mentor of the
National English Proficiency Program (NEPP) in the DepEd Division of Quezon
Province. '

Being a member of a community organization-The Young Professionals of

Calauag, allows her to partiCipate in an annual six-month feeding program to address
the problem of malnutrition among indigent children. She was once involved with the
Rotary Club of Calauag for their literacy project providing schools materials for indigent
children.
 "ANNEX B"

MRS. MILADITH B. POLUTAN

Oroquieta City Central Elementary School
Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental
Current Position: Master Teacher I
Field of Specialization: SPED (Multiple Disabilities & Visual Impairment)
No. of Years Teaching: 18 years

Since 1996, she has been teaching visually impaired pupils and those with
multiple disabilities and mental retardation in the DepEd Division of Oroquieta City. Her
pupils range from 1 to 20 years of age who come from different barangays in their city
including neighboring municipalities. Before, some of these individuals have not gone
into any schooling while others were enrolled as regular pupils in the different grade
levels such that their situations are not being looked at, mixing them with the able ones.
There came Mrs. Polutan who taught these individuals with visual impairment to read
and write through the Braille System including the use of large print materials. Her hard
work bore fruits when these pupils leamed to read with comprehension and can even
perform solutions to mathematical problems with accuracy and competence. "Changes
crept in like autumn shedding leaves for the coming winter. My once normal first graders
were now replaced with children with special needs. Gazing but not seeing,
communicating but not talking, going but not walking, others look typical but do not leam
typically. These aptly describe all of them. This is quite a formidable task but I took the
challenge," said Mrs. Polutan. Her diligence materialized even more when these
individuals were successfully mainstreamed with the regular classes.

Meanwhile, she extends her time to provide home-based instruction for those
aged 1-5 years old as she believes that this is the only way to encourage parents to
enroll their children with special needs in school. She was able to initiate and facilitate
ways and means in providing her pupils with the food, transportation, sessions with
physical and occupational therapists, health check-ups, assistive devices, and even
school supplies. These were accomplished through an organization which she
established - the Oroquieta Parents Advocate for Children with Disabilities engaging
parents, the govemment, NGOs, businesses, the academe, and other interested
stakeholders in addressing various problems, challenges, and issues in responsible
parenthood to children with special needs.

She is also an active member of the Strategic Alliance for Networking on

Disabilities (STAND), a joint undertaking with the Provincial Government of Misamis
Occidental that provides support to physically-disadvantaged individuals in terms of
healthcare services, equipment support (e.g. canes, walkers, standers, wheelchairs,
braillers, optical & communication devices, etc.). "Seeing pupils walk on their own, do
chores, play like a normal kid, laugh with their hearts out, give me a deep sense of
fulfillment and happiness," expressed Mrs. Polutan taking pride that some of her
students have gone to pursuing their high school and tertiary education, while others
have managed to eam a living as lecturers, preachers, masseurs, and musicians, and
are now engaged in some livelihood projects.
 "ANNEX e"

MRS. CONCHITA A. IBARONDO

San Antonio Elementary School
Iriga South District, Iriga City, Camarines Sur
Current Position: Master Teacher II
Field of Specialization: Filipino
No. of Years Teaching: 39 years

At the age of 60, Mrs. Ibarondo holds the longest years in the teaching service
(39 years) in this year's roster of Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Teachers. She
manifests that genuine commitment to provide the necessary learning and guidance for
the underachievers, not only serving as their teacher but by being a mother to them as
well. She teaches Grade II pupils in the lowest section composed of non-readers and
slow learners belonging to low socio-economic status and are not well nourished in
terms of nutritional requirements. This has led her to conduct researches regarding the
common causes of poor performance among intermediate pupils. Through the conduct
of summer tutorial activities for slow learners within a 3 year period, she was able to
increase their comprehension skills and improve their reading abilities.

She also introduced several innovative teaching approaches sharing it with her
co-teachers in seminar workshops and trainings, one of which is what she calls the
Eclectic Method of Teaching combining the different methods of teaching. She has
created evaluation instruments and review materials also for the National Achievement
Test (NAT) being used widely by the whole DepEd Division of Iriga City. Mrs. Ibarondo
is involved with a community organization whose projects focus mainly on the
improvement of health and sanitation facilities, including cleanliness and beautification
in their barangay. She is also an active member of a parish organization, being the
president of the Catholic Women's League of the Our Lady of Salvacion Parish in their
city.
 "ANNEX 0"

MRS. NANCY S. AQUINO

Mlang Pilot Elementary School
Mlang, Cotabato
Current Position: Master Teacher II
Field of Specialization: Filipino
No. of Years Teaching: 16 years

"I reach and I teach." Mrs. Aquino lives by this rule in teaching elementary
students in Cotabato. She made several innovations in her field to be able to reach out
to students and teach them the fundamental knowledge in their elementary curriculum.
Some of her innovations are: ECAME (Every Child a Math Enthusiast), VBEA
(Vocabulary Building Enrichment Activities), and EHP (Enhancing Handwriting
Program). Her profession and mantra goes beyond the four walls of the classroom as
she is the instructional manager of the ELSA IR2 ALS (Education, Livelihood and Skills
Alliance Intermediate Result 2 Alternative Learning System). Through ELSA IR2 ALS
she was able to reach out to the out-of-school-youths to continue their search for
knowledge and develop their livelihood skills. Through this program, she was able to
produce 6 passers in the Accreditation and Equivalency Test due to the intensive review
offered to the learners. As a person of influence in her community, Mrs. Aquino mentors
an organization in their barangaythat implements clean and green projects.
 "ANNEX E"

MRS. JANETH MORATA-FUENTES

Philippine Science High School (PSHS)-Eastern Visayas Carnpus
Palo, Leyte
Current Position: Special Science Teacher III
Field of Specialization: Chemistry
No. of Years Teaching: 12 years

Mrs. Morata-Fuentes is the youngest in this year's roster of Metrobank

Foundation Outstanding Teachers (33 years old). This young mentor has already
accomplished numerous projects in education which are usually done by h:er
contemporaries at a much later age. She is instrumental in the creation of an enhanced
research program of the PSHS-Eastern Visayas Campus that underscores scientific
and technical researches as key to the learning of science and math in their school.
The researches conducted by stUdents allow them to become stewards in their
respective communities. Under her supervision, two (2) studies on microbiology and
environmental science of her students won in the 2010 Intel International Science and
Engineering Fair in California, USA. Some of her stUdents have also won in several
regional and national science fair competitions, including the yearly student
representations in the RITS Super Science Fair in Kyoto, Japan.

Mrs. Morata-Fuentes also serves as the project leader for the Environmental
Monitoring and Biodiversity Assessment Program of PSHS Regional Campuses. She
was involved with a 3-year study that assessed and monitored water quality parameters
of two (2) marine sanctuaries in Leyte and Samar airned at deterrnining whether these
bodies of water are still capable of promoting aquatic life. She has created also
instructional materials in Chemistry, one of which is a published laboratory manual of
the subject being used as a reference' material. As a result, her efforts paved way for
the formalization of a Curriculum Development Committee that encourages other
teachers to create instructional materials for evaluation and publication.
 "ANNEX F"

MRS. MERCIDITA S. VILLAMAYOR

Bukidnon State University-Secondary School Laboratory
Ma/ayba/ay City, Bukidnon
Current Position: Associate Professor III
Field of Specialization: Mathematics
No. of Years Teaching: 27 years

As a professor in the secondary school laboratory class of Bukidnon State

University, Mrs. Villamayor has been mainly involved with its 4-fold thrusts -Instruction,
Extension, Research, and Production: She has produced instructional materials and
workbooks in mathematics that have led in the improvement of math instruction in their
laboratory classes. Her researches range from identifying teaching styles preferred by
students to policy recommendations on improving the learning environment for
students, as well researches on work values among university personnel.

Mrs. Villamayor is also a sought-after resource speaker and facilitator for various
seminars and workshops for teachers in their locality. She has worked with PNP Region
X in establishing a pre-school called the PNP Ladies Club Learning Center that later
became an adopted school of their university. She is an expert when it c~mes to floral
arrangements (i.e. Ikebana), thus, this skill of hers has allowed doors of opportunities
for the indigenous Lumad community to improve their living conditions when she
conducted training for them on floral arrangements. The Lumads used to sell
sampaguita garlands but with the opportunity that Mrs. Villamayor provided to them,
skills were improved such that that they are now accepting floral arrangements during
wedding and other occasions to augment their meager income. Her various
accomplishments in community service were recognized by the City Government of
Malaybalay, PNP Region X, Regional Development Council of Region X, and the Rotary
Club of Malaybalay City.
 "ANNEX G"

MRS. ESTRELITA A. PEnA

Kabasalan National High School
Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay
Current Position: Master Teacher I
Field of Specialization: English
No. of Years Teaching: 11 years

She is one of the many teachers in Mindanao whose life as a teacher posts great
danger considering the many reported cases of teachers being kidnapped or abducted
by secessionists groups. Despite the problem of peace and order situation in the area,
this has not hindered Mrs. Pena to fulfill her duties as a teacher whose professional life
has been devoted into making a difference in the lives of others. She founded the
SAGIP-A-STUDENT Drop-Out Reduction Advocacy Association, Inc., an organization
that aims to reduce the high incidence of student drop-outs in her school composed of
students, teachers, parents, local government officials, and community volunteers. They
have raised funds as means of extending financial support to students classified as
SARDOs (Students at Risk of Dropping Out) wherein they were able to reduce the drop-
out rate from 7.25% to 3.5%. To date, over 600 students have benefitted and were able
to finish high school. The organization has also implemented other intervention
programs like: a reading remediation activity entitled A Word to Teach the World;
lodging and school materials support to 90 students under the Adopt a Student Program
and Project Mo, Sagot Ko!: and livelihood trainings for student beneficiaries under the
SARDO Working Youth Program. Their projects have been adopted by 64 schools and
are now being bench marked by other DepEd Divisions.

Mrs. Pena is currently sourcing for funds for the construction of a dormitory and a
learning center for these students, which the provincial government has already
supported (gave P500, 000). She hopes to receive more funding support from various
government agencies and private entities at present. Outside the school, Mrs. Pena has
organized series of concerts as a fund-raising activity for the construction of a
Formation Center in their church. She is also an advocate of the environment having
been organized seminars, symposia and tree plating activities in their community. As a
member of a religious organization, the Divine Mercy Crusade, they have reached out
also to prisoners by providing them spiritual counseling, legal, and financial assistance.
"I am an unknown teacher from an unknown distant province of Zamboanga Sibugay.
This recognition as an Outstanding Teacher serves as an inspiration to my col/eagues-
knowing, despite our distance, we still have an opportunity for our efforts to be
recognized," said Mrs. Pena.
 "ANNEX H"

MRS. MERCELITA J. LABIAL

Xavier University High School
Cagayan de Oro City
Current Position: English Department Chair Senior Faculty
Field of Specialization: English
No. of Years Teaching: 16 years

Teaching nowadays has become advanced with the advent of technology.

Teachers are now learning to integrate technology in their classroom instruction. One of
which is the use of the internet in order to make learning more fun and interesting. Mrs.
Labial is one of those who adopted the use of the internet in facilitating discussions and
forums off-school for her students, a kind of distance learning. E-groups, e-rnails, and
social networking sites serve as channels for Mrs. Labial to maximize learning
opportunities of which students can freely express themselves and reflect about their
lessons. This has .become advantageous for her as a teacher in order to address the
immediate concerns and queries of her students and has become useful for her in the
evaluation and measurement of student performances. This teaching innovation of Mrs.
Labial has been instituted and was shared to other teachers influencing them to shift
from the traditional to a constructivist approach of teaching.

She also conducted another training-workshop for teachers in the DepEd

Division of Cagayan de Oro City specifically on the use of technology in teaching
English Language and Literature which was funded by the International Research and
Exchanges (IREX) Board. Outside the school, Mrs. Labial is busy impr'ementing a
literacy program for young girls who were victims of rape, abandonment, and other
types abuses who are under the custody of DSWD. Called UPAD (Literacy Program for
the Advancement of DSWD Girls), the program is conducted every first Friday of the
month by the English Department and School of Education Graduate School Council of
Xavier University.

As president of Xavier University High School Community Club, she was able to
provide an all-expense paid training workshop for teachers and para-teachers belonging
to the Indigenous Peoples (IP). A city-guided tour as well for graduating stUdents from
Miarayon, Talakag, Bukidnon was organized by them in order for them to experience life
in the city. Mrs. Labial has also trained the police force in Region X and Mindanao in
terms of improving their communication skills and speech delivery and has trained
personnel of the Philippine Ports Authority on technical writing and oral
communications.


"ANNEX J"

DR. RAYMUND C. SISON

De La Salle University
Taft Ave., Manila
Current Position: Full Professor VI
Field of Specialization: Software Engineering
No. of years teaching: 23 years

Dr. Sison is the first and probably the only one in the country to use, investigate
the effectiveness, and improve an innovative approach to learning programming called
"Pair Programming." Pair programming is a collaborative approach to software design,
programming, and testing which Dr. Sison introduced in 2005. Since then, he was able
to study its effects on the productivity of student programmers and on the quality of their
software products. He found out that the innovation can increase the quality of software
solutions written by students for programming problems that they find challenging. He
has been presenting his innovation at the annual Asia-Pacific Software Engineering
Conferences since 2005.

Dr. Sison had also worked with professors from prestigious universities in
Southeast Asia (i.e. National University of Singapore, University of Malaysia,
Chulalongkorn University, and Vietnam National). Together with these professors, Dr.
Sison led an ASEAN Foundation-funded project on software engineering practices and
teaching these practices among ASEAN universities. Dr. Sison is also the founding
president of the Computing Society of the Philippines (CSP) that organizes the annual
Philippine Computing Science Congress and provides seminars for teachers and
stUdents nationwide.

Not just a software engineer but also a teaching pastor. His passion for teaching
extends outside the realm of Software Engineering. In 1999, he founded FORMDEV
(Formation & Development), a program that aims to proclaim the Lasallianand Gospel
values of faith, zeal, and love. Freshmen students of the College of ComRuter Science
have to satisfy a 0.5 unit FORMDEV subject introducing them to the life and values of
st. La Salle and at the same time enriching their spiritual orientation. A community of
volunteers was also formed through FORMDEV that regularly conducts outreach
activities for Habitat for Humanity Philippines, Gawad Kalinga, and Damas Orphanage
in Paco, Manila. Outside the university, Dr. Sison serves as a pastor in his home church
in Taytay, Rizal preaching before a large community of poor.
 "ANNEX I"

DR. ROWENA CRISTINA L. GUEVARA

University of the Philippines-Diliman
Dillman, Quezon City
Current Position: Professor VI
Field of Specialization: Digital Signal Processing
No. of Years Teaching: 24.6 years

Dr. Guevara served as the proponent and program leader of the ERDT
(Engineering Research and Development for Technology) Program being spearheaded
by a consortium of universities and colleges offering engineering courses. ERDT is a P3
billion investment in order to address the country's global competitiveness through the
achievement of a critical mass of Filipino engineers with advanced degrees. The ERDT
Consortium makes graduate engineering studies accessible to Filipinos and helps
engineering colleges build their faculty complement. To date, the program has assisted
numerous scholars in the graduate program including visiting researchers, postdoctoral
fellows, visiting professors, and foreign PhD scholars. International conference papers
and the conduct of conferences and technology entrepreneurship summer classes were
among the other accomplishments of the Consortium. UP Diliman has benefitted also
from the program since a technology business incubator was recently opened to
support scholars and start-up companies including the construction of 6 buildings for the
UP College of Engineering to house new research laboratories.

Having served as Dean of the UP College of Engineering, she has convinced the
university to open freshmen block sections to give freshmen a peer support system and
help them adapt to college life. As a result, the percentage of freshmen who graduated
improved specifically on the passing rate for Math 17 for students enrolled in the block
sections, higher than those who were not in the block sections. Another notable
achievement of Dr. Guevara is the breakthrough Inter-disciplinary Signal Processing for
Pinoys (ISIP) Program that started in 2007. The program brought together researchers
from various disciplines to focus on the Filipino language and speech as these relate to
education and the differentiy-abled individuals. As the proponent and program leader of
ISIP, they have instituted projects that address the pressing issue in our country's
educational system by technology intervention in language and speech. With her
expertise on Digital Signal Processing, Dr. Guevara redesigned an engineering subject
in UP -Signals & Systems with the idea that the mathematical formula will look less
formidable if students will hear, see, and play with them first in the laboratory. The
passing rate then for this subject went from 70% to 90%.