In Photos: World Teachers’ Day in the boondocks

TARLAC, Philippines — October 5 is World Teachers’ Day, but it is not a big deal for teachers Myrna Esteban and Emily Lundang.

Myrna and Emily are both volunteer teachers at the Patal Bato Day Care Center in Brgy. Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac, just a few kilometres away from the crater of Mt. Pinatubo.

Every weekday they fetch their Aeta students on their way to school. They each receive a stipend of around P200 (US$5) each day for the work they do. A non-government organization supports their wage. Unlike many day care teachers, they have additional workload, teaching Sambal – the native dialect of Aetas – to the kids. 

They are not expecting thank you cards from their students this World Teachers’ Day; instead they are worried about the few remaining paper they have for the kids to use, the shrinking pencils they lend to the students, the few crayons they have left, and the chalk they use on what was supposed to be a window.

More than 20 kids fill the classrooms with laughter, cries, and chatter. When teacher Myrna leads a song, every little voice is belting his or her own note. Emily, who stands beside Myrna leading the kids through the actions of the song, she is hoping to finish her Alternative Learning School Diploma this year.

The World Teachers’ Day isn’t celebrated much in this part of the country, but rest assured souls like Myrna and Emily won’t be the last.

All photos by Dax Simbol – Rappler.com