#DearPresident: A letter from grade 3 students

MANILA, Philippines – When President Benigno Aquino III delivered his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 28, Pasong Tamo Elementary School in Quezon City did not call off classes. 

 

But teacher Carmina Regine Fernandez realized that only 20 out of her 52 Grade 3 students (aged 7-10) came to class. She asked he students, “Bakit sa tingin niyo ang kaunti ng pumasok ngayon? Anong meron ngayon?” (Why do you think very few of you are present today? What’s happening today?)

“SONA!” the students answered in unison.

Fernandez decided to take the time to talk about the SONA and its relevance to the country. One student asked, “Teacher, maririnig kaya ni Presidente kapag may sinabi kami? Mababasa niya ba kung magsusulat kami?” (Teacher, would the President listen to what we’re saying? Will he read it if we write something?)

Another student answered, “Hindi naman tayo maririnig eh. Hindi naman nya babasahin kapag sumulat tayo.” (He won’t hear us. He won’t read something we write.)

Fernandez promised her students that she would make sure their voices were heard and that their message would reach President Aquino.

#DearPresident

On Tuesday, July 29, she wrote Rappler:

“Nais ko sanang marinig ang tinig ng mga batang mahihirap. Ito ang nais nilang iparating sa ating mahal na pangulo. Tulungan niyo akong maihatid ang mensahe ng aking mga mag-aaral. Nangako ako sa kanila na gagawin ko ang lahat para mapaabot ang kanilang mga hiling.“

(I want people to hear the voices of these urban poor children. This is what they want to say to President Aquino. Help me voice out my students’ concerns. I promised them that I would do everything I can so their concerns would reach the president.)

Fernandez sent Rappler a letter for President Aquno written by her Grade 3 students.

***

Transcript:

For our dear President,

We are students of Pasong Tamo Elementary School. We are in Grade 3 and these are the things we hope you would do.

1. We hope that you’ll help those who were affected by Typhoon Yolanda.
2. We hope children are given their basic needs such as food and cloting.
3. We hope the prices of goods would go down.
4. We hope that we will have complete books for our classes.
5. We hope you will help the poor.
6. We hope that traffic will improve.
7. We hope our school’s surroundings will be cleaner.
8. We hope the price of electricity will go down.
9. We hope we will have better lives.
10. We hope that electricity will reach those who still live in the dark.
11. We hope you will give us a better school.
12. We hope that we will have better chairs in school.
13. We hope you can help us learn how to read.
14. We hope our parents would have jobs.
15. We hope our school would have better windows.
16. We hope that we will no longer be flooded.
17. We hope we will be able to enter and read in our library.

Respectfully,

Grade 3 Plato

– Rappler.com

The views expressed in this column are the letter senders’ own. 

Check other people’s letters to President Aquino in these stories:

• #DearPresident: Letters from Yolanda survivors
• #DearPresident: Typhoon Glenda victims voice their concerns