11th Magiting Conference: Magturo at Manuri

 

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What Keeps Us Alive: Art, Music and Storytelling

Before the Holy Week break, I had the wonderful opportunity to tell stories in two different occassions. The first one was in the Ayala Museum during the Himig Pasasalamat event of the Ayala Foundation to its sponsors, donors and partners. The second one was the opening exhibit of Peek-A-Book at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), where 13 Women Artists and Illustrators showcased their studies and illustrations on the picture books and storybooks they worked on with authors and local publishers. I had a grand time in both events, of course!

My storytelling at the Ayala Foundation thanksgiving ceremony was part and parcel of the main show where the UP Singing Ambassadors serenaded the guest, visitors and partners of the foundation with songs and choral pieces brimming with messages of love and service. In the second part of the UPSA’s program, I told and narrated the success stories of the foundation’s projects and the recipients of the scholarships and people empowerment programs they had. Having done training programs with and for CENTEX, I am a living witness to the inspiring real life stories of the children, teachers, parents and communities that CENTEX have helped and continously helping. 

 That night, I met old friends from the foundation. It was a memorable and meaningful moment for me too. Teacher Car Fernando whom I have worked with numerous training sessions and module writing projects with Centex remains the positive and generous person I have known back in our Sa Aklat Sisikat Days. Cheers to more years of service leadership, Teacher Car!

A few days after, on a Saturday before Palm Sunday, I found myself heading towards Roxas Boulevard. My shoulder was still frozen then, but the pain did not stop me from attending the opening of Peek-A-Book!

In CCP, I had fun reading aloud Habulan (Anvil Publishing, 2016) by Kora Dandan and Beth Doctolero. There were children present in the opening day of Peek-A-Book and the adults who were with them were as eager as they were in participating in the storytelling.

My book, Sparrow Makes A Home (Lampara, 2013) a wordless picture book illustrated by Bernadette Solina-Wolf is part of the art on exhibit. The art works are on display until May 6, 2018. So, if you are in town or in the Roxas Boulevard neighborhood, drop by the CCP to view the art works by 13 leading women book illustrators of this generation. 

There are art workshops and book launches scheduled on Saturday, April 28, 2018. 

Book Donations and Library Outreach Activity

Back in November 2016, I received an email from Mariecar Fernando of the Ayala Foundation (AFI). In charge of the education and teacher training arm of AFI, Ms. Fernando asked for books that we could possibly donate to their #MagingMagiting campaign. Looking at the old and grown out books donated by our students, teachers and parents that our library has gathered for donation to libraries who need it, I thought of giving them all to AFI's campaign.

One of the letters by a CENTEX grade 5 student

AFI has an immediate recipient of the books. One of their projects is the CENTEX schools where the books will stay. They have the staff and the manpower to deliver the books to the CENTEX public schools. They also have training programs and operational structures to make sure that the books will end up in the libraries of the CENTEX schools. So, AFI sent their people to get the books from us last January 2017.

A week ago, I received an envelope full of letters from grade 5 students of CENTEX Batangas. Each letter contains words of appreciation, gratitude and prayers of goodwill for me and for the school I work at. I do not know who these children are, but their letters speak of the wonder and the magic that our book donations brought them. In a school community where books and reading resources are scarce, this act of generosity goes a long way.

This inspired me to formally launch the library's classroom library project for a public elementary school and put together a catalog of recommended reads during our school assembly.

The catalog will contain book reviews by our Griffins.

Last 2016, during the Beacon academy Fair, we had a book fair that earned us 30 titles of books to start a classroom library for a K-3 class in a public school. This year, we earned enough money from the school fair to buy 30 more books. But donating a classroom library does not begin and end with a box or a bin of books to a class. It entails knowing the readers who will read the books, the teachers who use the books for instruction and the issue of sustainability needs to be addressed as well.

There is much work to be done.