SULOngSULU: Renovating the Tandu Dagmay Primary School in Tandu Bagua, Patikul, Sulu

I was looking for something to do for April and May, some volunteer work perhaps. I have called Tausug friends, and one has connected me to a Youth Group in Sulu, KBS.

I have asked the chair for their upcoming project that needed support, and was told about Tandu Dagmay Primary School in Patikul, Sulu.

I have been to Patikul, but only to Maubu and Quezon beach, but not really to this part; and certainly not been to any school in this gloomy town.

In order for me to raise a write up for the project, I needed a narration. And, now that I have completed the fixtures for the school, I realized, my write up, and the stories I have heard were nowhere complete. In fact, I could tell I am not even half the real story, as, upon my arrival, it is vacation time.

I have seen pictures of the school taken by the Youth group’s sister Photography Club but nothing beats seeing things in your eyes. Just getting to the place, way to the village itself would tell you what kind of facility I am about to work on. When I got to the school, I had to confirm if classes are seriously held in the rooms. Apparently, there is a lot more work than expected.

There is not enough seats for students on the first room, and nothing at all for the second room. Students squat on old sacks of rice while having classes. Some sit on the slippers that they come with to class.

As I finish cleaning up the rooms a while ago, I can’t help but smile at how much somehow we have changed this school in 8 days. Working on the windows at one day, a grade 4 kid who was attending school in the farther Gandusolis Elementary School asked me if i can put a grade 4 room too in the school. I felt like apart from that this school is very convenient, she is probably seeing it better than hers.

In this project, we changed the falling ceilings, repainted the walls, built new chairs and teacher’s tables, setup a door with lock and a school marker, added and repainted the old blackboards, fixed up shelves, curtains, sealed leaking roofs, and provided them new materials such as charts, donated school supplies,  wall clocks, and even broomsticks and trash bins.

To all those who donated and trusted that I can implement, especially one OFW in New Caledonia, Mr Ancajas who I never met, and FEU Cavite who did not reply to my initial email but rather surprised me later that they are ready to send the school supplies, as well as South Mansfield College who approached me without me sending an email or anything, to Gen E Sis who everytime I run out of funds on my projects is always on the rescue, and to the other friends who were great enough to share their abundance, many many thanks. I look forward to a day when each can come and visit this town, and this school, and see this school and the kids that they have helped.

I am saddened by the fact that schools, worse primary (Kindergarden, and so on) are neglegted in this area where the mind is your only resource; Though honestly, it don’t necessarily need to get as worse as what I am seeing if only we have more dedicated teachers who thinks as a community, and not as self.  The opportunities are so minimal that even volunteerism is rather employment and not a vision. Moreover, not only with teachers, but as I see, people in Sulu are generally withdrawn over the idea of improvement. The risks of movement and discovery reinforce the tendencies to contain. In my 8 days of stay, I regret to realize that progress in this area is gloomy. Her only hope are the coming generations of fresh minds, untarnished of violence and apathy and capable of realizing real change for growth and betterment.

To all the badjao kids who everytime I leave in the afternoon asks me if I am coming back tomorrow, I will be back.

Before leaving, I was insisting on getting to even more depressed corners of Patikul where I expect the schooling situation to be worse. In fact, I have been daring my colleagues to bring me next to the camp where I am expecting the school to be worse than a manger. Anyhow, I went to Patikul Higad Elementary School where their Kindergarden class is just as trashy. I will work this next for Patikul.

As much as I can handle, I will be working on fixing every rotting school in Patikul. Next Project will be a lot better. By now, I think I have just upgraded my self-declared occupation from Philanthropist to Visionary. 

By far, apart from that I was able to backpack for 8 months, this would have been the top achievement of my life. To be able to work on renovating a school at this age, this is certainly one of my stories to the new generations later.

One of the carpenters asked why I did not put my name in the Thanks To part of the school label, I told him, there is no greater reward for me than knowing within thyself how much I have worked to make this school become better.

I am currently gathering support for the provision of 85 bags for the students this coming school year; If anyone would like to help, let me know.

For Donations:

Via Bank of the Philippine Islands

Bank Code: 010040018

Account Number: 2439 1558 52

Name on Account: Joseph Ian Macalino

Via Paypal 

 

Email Address: jibmaxatnewroad@gmail.com

Suggested in PHP currency to minimize devaluations. In third world, every cent counts J. Otherwise, USD will be fine. 

For in Kind donations:

c/o Weng Bulaon
Neptune Celphone Accessories
3rd Floor, Caloocan Central Mall (a.k.a. North Mall; LRT Monumento Station northbound)
0925 755 5055

NAME	PLEDGE	RECEIVED
TOTALS	Php47,969.42	Php52,949.42
MR W ANCAJAS	Php13,969.42	Php13,969.42
MR V REBUGIO	Php3,000.00	Php3,000.00
MS K CHU	Php10,000.00	Php10,000.00
MS A TOMAS	Php10,000.00	Php10,000.00
MS M CONCEPCION	Php500.00	Php500.00
MR ARGAWANON & FRIENDS	Php4,000.00	Php4,000.00
Racky Bernardo	Php2,000.00	Php2,000.00
JB Galedo	Php4,500.00	Php4,500.00
Loreen Ribates		Php2,000.00
Gen E Sis		Php2,000.00
Kimberly Singian		Php980.00
Ms Gracia Bangoy		Php1,000.00

Classification	Amount	Inclusions
Labor	5150	Carpenters, Porters, Etc
Logistics	7750	Transpo, Fuels, Coordination
Materials	23623	Hardware Materials, Equipment Rentals
Meals	7140
Miscellaneous	8040	Administration costs including documentation from Port, Room Fixtures such as curtains, wallclocks, etc
(blank)
Grand Total	51703
Balance	1246.42