Having grown up in a home with one teacher, my Aunt (Nanay's eldest sister), I know the hard work that goes with their profession. I thank my Aunt Inday and second mother for molding my character and for being my source of inspiration especially in my studies back then. A strict yet loving person, I've seen how dedicated she was as a teacher that even after her retirement in the public sector, she continued to pursue her passion in the private sector. I'm proud to share, too, that she was the high school teacher of the late Ilongga Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago at the former Iloilo High School now Iloilo National High School.
Teachers deserve accolades for their dedication, patience and all the hard work they do for their students and schools. And I salute PLDT-Smart Foundation for its Gabay Guro program that lifts the spirits of teachers across the Philippines through its various enriching and fun activities. This year, it organized a major event called TeacherFest 2016 that gathered tens of thousands of teachers from around the country in the Mall of Asia Arena last September in time for Teacher's Day. The star-studded event provided great entertainment and fabulous prizes for the attendees.
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| Photo by Donn Riel |
