(Last Part Of “What is ALS?”)
The O.B. Montessori Pagsasarili Twin Projects traces its roots back to 1964, when I assisted the late Mr. Oscar Arellano of Operation Brotherhood International (OBI) in providing an organized education for the poor parents and children of 3,000 families squatting at the Spanish heritage site of Intramuros. Funded by Manila Times, chronicle and Manila Bulletin they were relocated to Sapang Palay.
By 1966, we helped resettle the refugees of Taal volcano and Lemery Batangas by setting up a Montessori Pagsasarili preschool. While serving as president of Soroptimist International of Greater Manila from 1979-81, we established the Montessori Pagsasarili Kaunlaran preschool in the laborers’ district of San Andres in Barangay San Birhen with Sister Lydia Kalaw of the Good Shepherd Convent.
From Short Lived To Self Sustaining Projects (1983-2017)
All these projects were short-lived, but they paved the way for the formal organization of the O.B. Montessori Twin Projects in 1983–1989 partnering with various government officials. By 1983, collaborating with Gen. Guadencio Tobias of National Housing Authority (NHA), eight Pagsasarili preschools were set up in disadvantaged communities, “to help them help themselves.” To date three of these sites are still operational: West Crame in San Juan, Tramo in Pasay and Bagong Barrio in Caloocan. Among that closed down were San Martin de Porres, Cubao (1983-2007); Bagong Silang, Caloocan (1986-2008) CAA Compound, Las Piñas (1986-2012); Karangalan Village, Pasig (1989-2002); Dasmariñas, Cavite (1990-2003). The mentioned preschools were soon replaced by the following Pagsasarili sites: San Roque and Olandes in Marikina, Barangay Onse in San Juan City, and Pulung Bulu Public School in Angeles, Pampanga. A total of 160 extension sites include the five UNESCO World Heritage sites of Ifugao, CAR, Lipa City, Batangas, Cadiz and Valencia, Negros. With the help of Mayor Antiporda and Mayor Henry Teves we opened this year three sites in Buguey, Cagayan and Bayawan, Negros Oriental.
The Social Revolution Concept
The O.B. Montessori Pagsasarili Preschool Project is a self-sustaining Montessori preschool, backed by an eight-week teacher training course spread out in 2 years and an adequate package of classroom materials and furniture. Monitoring and evaluation of teachers and summer refresher courses are done for two years.
Originally it was organized by the O.B. Montessori Child and Community Foundation, Inc. (OBMCCFI) in collaboration with NHA and the community through the Homeowners’ Association or the barangay/barrio council. It became a tripartite collaborative arrangement wherein each of the parties invest its share for the start up and operation of the preschool.
OBMCCFI trains the teachers. It provides one complete set of Montessori Pagsasarili classroom learning materials and furniture (P35,000 – P100,000), and the initial subsidy of teachers’ salaries (started with P700 a month and now increased to about P15,000 for a senior teacher). Moreover, it renders academic and administrative supervision, including monitoring the preschool operations to ensure that it delivers quality Montessori Pagsasarili early childhood education.
For its part, the NHA provided technical assistance in social preparation and community mobilization and project organization. The community through the Homeowners’ Association or the barangay council provided the school building and ensured continuous community support. The parents, on the other hand, supported the preschool by paying a minimal fee of P20 to cover the school’s operational expenses.
Project Sustainability After Three Decades
Three decades have passed. The NHA has turned over the management of the slum-improved communities to the local government units. The OBMCFFI now work closely with the barangay captains, mayors, congressmen and governors to sustain the Pagsasarili projects. They usually provide the school building and even subsidize the monthly services for electricity and water. This has allowed the project to be sustained all these years.
OBMCCFI has continued the monitoring and supervision of the project, particularly the academic, administrative and financial aspects. Each site is headed by a Site Coordinator. She makes sure that the teachers use the different materials in the classroom to normalize the children, observing how the teachers present the lessons to the class. Worn-out, broken or lost materials are replaced immediately to maintain the functionality of the prepared environment. The Academic Coordinator visits the sites several times a year to make sure the standard is followed and sustained.
Permit Or No Permit – Quality Persued Relentlessly
Standardizing the project environment is vital to get the necessary permits in order to legitimize its operations with local government units. It is the responsibility of the Prepared Environment monitor to process the different documentary requirements so the project can secure the necessary business permit from the local government unit. This business permit shall then be submitted to DSWD or DepEd, who will in turn grant the permit to operate.
The status of the community where the Pagsasarili projects operate have improved since the 1980’s. The socialized tuition fee per community has increased from P20 to P700-P1500 a month. This goes to the salary of the teachers and the operation of the project site. The Site Coordinator collects the monthly dues and deposits collection to the designated banks. A summary of the payment is submitted to the accountant who will conduct spot audit of cash collected, petty cash replenishments and inventory of sales materials. This method of check and balance helps to ensure that the financial operation of the project site are in place.
The parents who have patronized the project have likewise evolved from being simple drivers, vendors, carinderia owners. The mothers were mostly housewives who take care of the children, bringing and fetching them from school while the fathers were the ones working. At present both parents are working as call center agents, bank employees, teachers or entrepreneurs. A handful of the parents are OFWs (nurses and engineers). Thus, yayas are hired to take care of the children or otherwise left with the grandparents and other distant relatives.
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