Bong Go honors educators as modern-day heroes on Teachers’ Day

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, a member of the Senate Committee on Basic Education and adopted son of the CALABARZON region, personally attended the celebration of Teachers' Day at the Ynares Sports Complex in Antipolo City, Rizal on Thursday, 5 October.

"Alam n'yo ang dapat po nating pasalamatan ngayong araw na ito at bigyan po ng pagpupugay ay ang atin pong mga teachers. Alam n'yo bakit? Kayo po ang isa sa mga hero po ng pandemya. Noong panahon ng pandemya, panahon po iyon na nag-a-adjust po kayo sa distance learning hanggang pabalik sa face-to-face learning," Go said as he emphasized the pivotal role of teachers in shaping the nation's future.

"Napakalaki po ng challenges na pinagdaanan n'yo. Palakpakan po natin ang ating mga guro. Hindi po natin mararating ito kung hindi po dahil rin po sa inyong sakripisyo. Alam ko 'yan. Sa tatlong taon po na nilabanan natin 'yung pandemya, kami ni (dating) pangulong (Rodrigo) Duterte, nandiriyan po kayo," he continued.

The event was also attended by Governor Nina Ricci Ynares, Mayor Casimiro "Jun" Ynares, and Vice Mayor Josefina Gatlabayan, among others. Mayor Ynares expressed his gratitude for Go's continuous efforts to uplift the lives of Filipinos.

"Sa araw din po na ito, I will make a confession. There is one thing that my teachers taught me which I occasionally do not follow at ito po yun: no copying. Natutunan ko later in public service na kapag may test, magandang mangopya. When one faces difficult tests in life, we can copy. Today, ipapakilala ko po ang isang fellow public servant na hindi niya alam na, quote and quote, kinokopyahan ko. Kinokopya ko po siya for two reasons: first, he has gone through many difficult tests in life; second, he is the kind of person who stands by others, who go through difficult tests in life. Sa mga pinagdaanan niya sa pagsubok ng buhay, dalawang mahahalagang qualities ang lagi kong nakikita at sinisikap na makopya. Una po ay commitment, pangalawa, compassion," Mayor Ynares said, pertaining to Go.

Furthermore, Mayor Ynares commended Go for his steadfast dedication, which serves as an inspiration for public servants and a reminder of the positive impact one can make when motivated by a genuine commitment to the public good.

"Hindi po madali ang pinagdaanan ng ating panauhin. Sa panahon na siya ang umaalalay sa isa sa mga naging pangulo ng ating bansa, mula pa nang maging punong-lungsod ang taong pinaglingkuran niya sa Davao (City), hanggang ito ay maging presidente ng ating bansang Pilipinas, humarap sila sa mga panganib, sa mga batikos, sa malalaking suliranin. Sa kabila po nito, laging andun ang ating panauhin… Andun siya para umalalay, para pangalagaan at para ayusin ang landas na dadaanan ng taong pinaglilingkuran niya," Mayor Ynares further shared.

"Nakita ko rin na ang kanyang commitment ay hindi lang sa presidenteng pinaglingkuran niya. He extended his commitment to our countrymen. As he did so, the quality of commitment became the quality of compassion. Tayo pong mga Antipoleño at Rizaleño, pati na ang kapwa nating Pilipino ay naging benepisyaryo ng malasakit na yon," he added.

During the event, Go provided gift packs to 5,902 educators and non-teaching staff. He also extended shirts, bicycles, mobile phones, shoes, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select recipients.

"Sa ating mga guro, Happy Teachers month, Happy Teachers' Day. Lubos po ang aking saludo sa ating mga guro sa araw na ito at sila po'y mga heroes rin po natin sa panahon ng pandemya," said Go in an interview after the event.

"Hindi biro maging isang guro. Dapat talaga mahaba ang iyong pasensya sa pagtuturo. At hindi po natin mararating ito, itong kinatatayuan natin ngayon. Ako mismo hindi po ako magiging senador kung hindi po dahil sa ating mga guro dahil diyan tayo nag-umpisa… Sila po ang nagturo sa atin ng mga tamang kaalaman at gabay kaya po tayo naririto na atin rin namang isini-share po sa ating mga kababayan sa ngayon," he shared.

In the Senate, Go co-authored and co-sponsored Senate Bill No. 1964, also known as the "Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act," which seeks to establish a system for providing teaching allowances to public school teachers. The proposed measure was approved on the third and final reading last May.

In 2019, Go also authored and co-sponsored RA 11466, otherwise known as the Salary Standardization Law 5, which gives civilian government employees, including public school teachers, another round of salary increases broken down in tranches.

Go likewise expressed his support for the proposed Salary Standardization Law 6, saying, "As co-sponsor and author of Salary Standardization Law 5 during the 18th Congress, sana po ay magkaroon pa ng bagong Salary Standardization Law 6. I'm one with the government in seeking to provide another increase in salaries for those working in the public sector."

Earlier, the senator also filed SBN 1190, which proposes expanding the use of the Special Education Fund, if enacted into law, to cover the operation and maintenance of public schools, payment of salaries and benefits for teaching and non-teaching personnel, and competency training for teaching personnel, among others.

On the same day, Go provided assistance to indigents and inspected the San Isidro Super Health Center and the Antipolo City Hall of Justice which he supported in the past years.