SEN. TG GUINGONA: EDUCATORS PLAY KEY ROLE IN NATION-BUILDING
OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS HONORED IN MALOLOS BOATS AWARD

MALOLOS, BULACAN - Senator Teofisto "TG" Guingona III on Tuesday recognized the important role the country's educators play in nation-building. He likewise lauded their efforts in inspiring millions of Filipino students to become better citizens.

Speaking at the Bulacan Outstanding Administrators, Teachers and Supervisors (BOATS) Awards held in Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center in Malolos, Sen. Guingona acknowledged the hard work and dedication of public school teachers in uplifting the quality of education and by giving hope to poor students nationwide.

"The truth is: the Filipino teacher is more than just an educator. Isa rin siyang magulang, tagapayo at minsan caregiver pa. There is no profession better perceived with fondness or more widely respected than teaching," he said.

The good governance advocate added that throughout the country, teachers relentlessly dedicate their lives in their schools and the entire community.

"They are those who placed the interest of their school and studentry above themselves -- never allowing calamities, lack of classrooms, or poverty to get in the way of inspiring and educating the youth so they could arise with dignity and pride. Sila ang ating binibigyang parangal ngayon," he added.

Sen. Guingona echoed the efforts made by the Aquino administration in fighting poverty by investing in quality education.

With education as the priority of the government, the President has immediately approved the P290 billion budget for the Department of Education, which is 22 percent higher as compared to previous year's budget.

He explained that from this amount, 30,000 classrooms will be constructed, over one million seats will be fabricated and distributed, and 90,000 water and sanitation facilities will be built. Dahil kinakapos tayo sa mga teachers, 62,000 teaching positions will be created this year, including the regularization of 8,000 kindergarten volunteer teachers. We are also poised to procure more than 31 million textbooks and teachers' manuals to achieve one-to-one ration of textbook to students.

"Through this year's BOATS Awards, the government acknowledges the exceptional efforts of the outstanding school administrators, supervisors, and teachers of Bulacan who made exceptional efforts to reduce dropout rates, quench the thirst of the young for values, and make education a tool of equality," Sen. Guingona said.