More Sama-Bajau children are going to school instead of begging and peddling, encouraged by an innovative teaching technique devised by Ma. Ella Fabella when she devoted her service to the indigenous community in Zamboanga as a public school teacher 11 years ago.

Through the veteran kindergarten teacher’s Project BEAR or Bajau Educational Activities and Recreation, indigenous children learn through dance, music and sport plus the use of culturally enriched lessons written in their own language.

With learning in her classroom enjoyable and fun, the number of her young students grew from 27 to 102 today, proving its effectiveness.

Fabella also improved the reading skills of Sama-Bajau kids through her Pantawid Tutorial Reading Program. She enlisted parents as tutors of struggling readers. The daily tutoring sessions of her students not only improved their reading skills but also strengthened school-parent ties and community bonds.

Metrobank Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Ty family-owned bank, recognized Fabella’s efforts in improving the Samu-Bajaus’ access to education by recently naming her one of its 10 outstanding Filipinos for this year.

Meanwhile, another teacher from Zamboanga, Franco Rino Apoyon, strengthened the Department of Education’s Youth for Environmental in Schools (Yes) program by combining basic and environmental education in his teaching. The Kabasalan National High School head teacher’s so-called “greenducation” is promoted through his award-winning storybook, “Ang Paglalakbay ni Papa Gong: Tahanan sa Bakawan.”

Apoyon also teaches students how to make plantable paper to promote sustainable practices.  The plantable paper is biodegradable eco-paper made with post-consumer and post-industrial paper waste that is embedded with seeds.

Additionally, he initiated the “Reach to Teach” program to promote environmental awareness in remote areas.

His efforts also earned him the 2024 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Award.

Each of this year’s 10 awardees received a P1 million cash prize (net of tax), a golden medallion, and the iconic “The Flame” trophy from the foundation’s president Aniceto M. Sobrepeña and Metrobank officials during the awarding ceremony held 4 September as part of the bank’s 62nd anniversary celebrations.