Department of Education

Region V (Bicol)
Division of Albay
Polangui North District
LOURDES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Polangui, Albay

EXPOSURE TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (IP) SCHOOLS

PHASE II (Pampanga, Zambales, and Cordillera Administrative Region)
February 12-16, 2018

To complete the Exposure Tours to IP Schools as a Benchmarking Activity for the IPED Program in the
Division of Albay, Phase II was recently concluded at Pampanga, Zambales, and the Cordillera. Once again,
the team composition includes individuals from the different schools of Albay Division, a mixture of Public
Schools District Supervisors, School Heads, District and School Coordinators.

Assembly time started at the Schools Division of Albay at 1:00 in the afternoon of February 12, 2018 and
pick-up of participants followed from then on until the last participants in the Municipality of Polangui,
where the 14 hours travel to Manila started off.

It was on the second day, February 13, 2018, wherein participants were able to experience and learn first-
hand the ways of the indigenous peoples’ survival living in the jungle. A very informative lecture-
demonstration was given by an IP Elder, Tata Kasuy, during the visit at Pamulaklakin Forest Trail. Actual
demonstration on how to cook and make indigenous cooking utensils using bamboo was well-shown by the
IP Elder including the ways on how to start a fire with the use of bamboo “kusot”. The witty IP elder opened
up the world in the perspectives of an Aeta which helped a great deal in understanding where they are
coming from on how and why they see things differently from before. From the Pamulaklakin Forest Trail
in Subic, Pampanga, the team proceeded to Iram Elementary School and Iram High School where a very
warm welcome was received. The preparations provided by the schools indeed surpassed the team’s
expectations. The program and exhibits displayed, and the demonstration-teaching conducted truly showed
us how wonderful it is to appreciate, preserve, and feature the great and unique culture each indigenous
people has. In Iram E/S, Olongapo City a showcase of arts and crafts was displayed, but what caught the
most of our attention was their Indigenized Learning and Instructional Materials. Learning Activity Books,
Lesson Exemplars, and Big Books which were indigenized and localized heightened our desire to come up
with our own localized and indigenized learning materials.

The third day focused on the appreciation of culture and traditions and how such preservation and promotion
can be an avenue to elevate the culture that we have. Tourism and education indeed can help economically
if handled cautiously and with respect.

On the fourth day, February 15, 2018, the team continued to Pacday Quino Elementary School which
showed the same warm welcome. Exhibits, welcome program, and demonstration teachings were also
conducted but what captured us most is on their display on how a School-Based Management Program is to
be implemented effectively and efficiently. Being awarded as Best SBM Implementer in the Division, the
tips and advises that they shared helped a lot.

Due to a very short notice of our arrival from their IPEd Focal Person, preparation for a visit became a bit
challenging to the host school, Mil-an High School. However, Mil-an HS was able to showcase their IP
Garden which inspired the team to replicate Mil-an HS’ practice and have one as well when they returned
to their respective schools.

Combining work and pleasure, the IPEd team of Albay were given time to stop-over at the Vegetable Market
before travelling back to Manila and finally back to Bicol. Wrap-up and sharing of insights gained during
the school visits were done while on the bus before parting of ways.

By February 16, 2018, the team were back home in Albay Province, ready to take on the challenge of
replicating the best practices of IP Schools that were observed during the tour.
Insights Gained/Challenges Met

1. Having instructional/learning materials that are localized and indigenized appeals more to learners
particularly in the primary level since the language being used is their mother-tongue which makes
it easy for them to understand.
2. Examples that are common in the locality of the learners elicits a positive reaction to learners thus
discussion is facilitative.
3. The IP Garden and IP arts and crafts exhibits can be an avenue to provide learners with solid footing
for learning and appreciating one’s cultural background.
4. The IPEd Program is remarkable program with diversified approaches that needs a thorough
understanding on the part of the coordinator and implementer. Being proactive to the program is a
must to fully and effectively implement projects and activities related to it.
5. If non-IPs could only have the same views/perspectives on life and land perhaps we would have
preserved our natural environment. The way IPs value nature shows much on their culture; their art,
music, and dance steps depicts so much of nature.

Recommendations

1. Continue the conduct of capacity building to teachers and school heads who handles IP learners.
2. Advocacy on awareness and appreciation of our native’s rich culture should be sustained.
3. Best practices that can be replicated to respective schools should be encouraged such as the IP
Garden, IP Learning Centers, and crafting of indigenized Lesson Exemplars, Learning Materials,
and Instructional Materials.

Prepared by:

FREEDAH PAULA D. ABIADA

IP Coordinator

Noted:

MA. THERESA M. GUIAB

ESHT III/Cluster Head
 PHOTO DOCUMENTATIONS

The IPEd Team of Albay experienced the thrill of hiking the Pamulaklakin
Forest Trail and learned more about herbal plants used before by the
indigenous people to survive in the jungle.

A scene during the lecture-demonstration of Mang Kasuy, a witty IP elder,

on: making indigenous eating/cooking utensils using bamboo and
starting/building fire using bamboo “kusot”.
Warm hospitality from the people of Iram ES showcasing their cultural
dances and costumes during their welcome program to the team.

A glance at the colorful arts and crafts at the IP Learning Center of Iram
ES. Learning and instructional materials shared motivated us more to
complete our IPEd journey to finally craft our own LMs and IMs for our
own IP learners.
A welcome program, demo-teaching, and showcase of culture prepared and
carried out at Iram High School for the IPEd Team. A visit to the Senior
High learners of Iram HS gave a demonstration on Massage/Refexology
and Cosmetology.

At the Office of the Principal of Pacday Quino Elementary School where

they have shared their best practices on School-Based Management which
made them a Division Awardee on SBM as Advanced in SBM Level of
implementation.
A look through the colorful arts and crafts at the IPEd Multi-Cultural Center
of Pacday Quino ES. The center was established to give every learner a
strong foundation for learning and appreciating own culture and the
diversified cultures of other people around them.

A short visit at Mil-an High School where a simple open forum was given
to welcome queries, curiosity of the team in implementing the IPEd
Program. Mil-an HS’ IP Garden became the center of attraction as one of
their best practice worth imitating.