Books, texting and more from Councilor Benny
AS New Year’s resolution, someone told me to put more laugher in this column. Nowadays people seem to be callous about what happens in Department of Education (DepEd). Like say, the Philippines rank last in Science and Math or the seriousness of mass promotion sans the reading or writing competency of learners. In short they want this column to be added with some spice up fun. Meaning, consider giving up that goal of hitting bad apples in the department; for it’s fruitless in any branch at any rate.
Yet, I’m not a good jester, so I will try to source out from my friends. Consider this, Engineer Onin reminds some caution in texting using Android Phones, especially if the automatic spelling feature of the phone is active. He said he has a friend from Deped who went to Boracay for the usual School seminars. The friend’s spouse texted the other and ask what he was doing, of which the partner gladly replied to inform her how beautiful the island was. So he texted back: “k jas wok up, I wish u wer her!” Supposedly he means: I wish you were here! That text started the spouse quarrel and until now the other remains suspicious of what happened in the island.
More sensational is from my friend Jason reminding me to check reply texts before sending. He knows this someone who texted in tagalog the words: “Tex na lang tau mamya.” The android phone changed the first “t” into “s” and by which it gave another meaning. Good if the reply is “where.” Else, you may not want what happens next. Better complete your words and check your grammar.
And now the books from my conversation with Councilor Benny Bomogao, it seems he was so determined to suggest: the no more purchasing of useless books. Perhaps, televisions in every public school classroom, projectors or internet connectivity in the faculty, photo copying machines, materials like automotive parts and tablets are the better alternatives. The classroom teachers, not the heads, supervisors, administrators or directors, know what learning material best fits the learners. I wrote before, books for these generations are the canvass for drawing sex organs or the monster faces of teachers. To tell you, majority of the Deped “not – teaching” and high ranking personnel have in mind are the same. Like the councilor colleagues in the council often ask: Adda pagsayaatan dita? If there is none, why would I support. Again, that explains the proliferation of useless books in public schools.
Being the committee chair of the transportation sector, I overheard councilor Benny talking with Master Jonathan regarding point to point cable cars in Baguio’s tourist attractions to minimize the burning of fuels. Indeed there exist cable cars from john hay to Burnham Park towards the strawberry fields, maybe better than the ambitious putting of cables from La Union to Baguio.
To excite up this idea, as suggested, there are these problems about quality materials of which Master Juanito seriously talks about. Choose from Hyundai, Hitachi, Standard or Sanyo materials, he said. The last is the best, “Sanyo Dadaellen, Sanyo Marepairen”. It means: don’t destroy it; for it cannot be repaired. Is trust materials, like trust in the Deped included? And specifically which one, the system or the people?