Barako Publishing proudly co-hosted a landmark community workshop on 12 July at La Luz Beach Resort, a pioneer in the Laiya tourism industry. Facilitated by World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Philippines educators Dino Calderon and Maye Padilla, the workshop focused on co-creating the Barako 77 Educational Module, a localized curriculum component that will be integrated into both public and private schools across the town.

The workshop brought together a diverse and dynamic group of stakeholders united by a shared commitment to heritage preservation, environmental advocacy and youth empowerment. Among the attendees were Barako Publishing publisher Ciara Marasigan Serumgard, Barako Publishing executive director Farrah Rodriguez, Concerned Citizens of San Juan Heritage Preservation advocate Horacio “Zaldy” Marasigan Jr., Boy Scouts of the Philippines senior vice president Cedrick Train, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources officer Noelito Pasco, Municipal Tourism representatives Jholo Vilano and Lara Reyes, Rover Circle XXIII Institutional head and Circle manager Vincent Fabella, Rover Circle 23 —Musketeers Representative Leann Muego, Casa Amara Resort owner Gemma Corotan Kolb, Joseph Marello Institute principal Bega Ladao, Batangas Eastern Colleges Academic coordinator of the College Department Geraldine Bagnes, Department of Education San Juan East District and West District principals and heads of School, Batangas Scuba Academy instructor and Marine Life photographer Marivic Verdadero Maramot, Scouting America’s Kirby and Kieran Serumgard.

Participants engaged in a variety of collaborative and creative processes including memory mapping, visioning exercises, identification of learning blocks and designing contextualized learning experiences. These activities laid the foundation for an educational module that honors local memory, highlights the town’s abundant heritage and also empowers learners to be stewards of the environment.

Sico 1.0 National High School Principal Job Triviño and his team impressed participants with their swift initiative by releasing a published pamphlet documenting the community workshop on the very same day. Back in the 1970s, Concerned Citizens of San Juan leader Horacio V. Marasigan found a powerful way to inform the public about the dangers of a proposed copper smelter: the pamphlet. With the use of a typewriter and a Gestetner mimeograph machine, pamphlets were produced and widely distributed through teachers in both public and private schools, reaching students and their families across town.