Quezon City, Philippines – [July 8, 2021] – More than a year since implementing the much-needed community quarantines and safety protocols, distance learning remains the new normal in the Philippines’ education sector. This approach is deemed crucial to ensure that learning among students remains unhampered as the country continues its fight against COVID-19.
The Department of Education (DepEd), in fact, maintained this year that it would ensure continuous learning for millions of Filipino students across the country by implementing different learning modalities created in support of the Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP).
Although this approach is not new, it had served as a bridge for educators to reach their students when face-to-face classes were discouraged by the authorities to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Although RBI is not a new learning approach, it served as a bridge for educators to reach out and continue teaching their students since face-to-face classes were discouraged by the authorities to help stop the spread of COVID-19. This approach even became integral for the continuous learning among elementary and secondary students in Iriga City in Camarines Sur, Bicol Region.
At the height of the lockdowns last year, the local education sector in Iriga took advantage of this approach by launching the Championing Excellence in Service (CES) ON Air: Radyo Eskwela ng DepEd Iriga, a locally produced radio program, developed as part of the Division’s commitment to ensuring learning continuity.
A brainchild of the city’s Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) Cecille Bernadette Rivera, the program serves as an avenue for disseminating information within the local DepEd community, discussing education issues of public concern, and promoting the use of digitized locally produced RBI materials.
Opening new doors for educators
CES On Air’s pilot airing was held in June 2020 with a regular programming schedule in local radio partners 107.1 Radyo Natin Iriga and 97.7 Good Vibes Radio. Episodes were also being streamed simultaneously on Facebook to cater to the audience using social media. Marshia Belen, Division Information Technology Officer, oversaw the program’s technical aspects with the committee’s help.
The program quickly became an avenue for listeners to get informed about the latest information and updates regarding the school opening last year despite the pandemic. It also helped in clarifying confusions and answering public queries regarding learning continuity.
“CES On Air opened doors of opportunities not only to teachers but also to school heads and other DepEd personnel. They exchange roles as radio anchors, news reporters, technical operators, radio scriptwriters, and even videographers,” said Eda Dato, Master II of Iriga Central School (ICS) and RBI Coordinator (Elementary).
Dato was also the head trainer for the CES ON Air production team, composed of teachers and other DepEd personnel in Iriga City. Moreover, she attended the Training of Trainers for RBI conducted virtually by the DepEd Central Office. She was even considered a sought-after trainer in radio broadcasting and RBI not only in the division but also in the region.
A refuge for students’ unhampered learning
For students, CES ON Air became a refuge for their unhampered learning. Since its pilot airing last year, the program has helped students and their parents with the alternative learning delivery modality.
“Most of our households here in Iriga and the entire Rinconada have access to radio frequencies. With CES ON Air’s regular programming, teaching lessons, in a way, became much more accessible for our students despite the pandemic. All concerns from parents and the public also became much easier to address in real-time,” Dato said.
Among those who benefited from the program were the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) learners of Don Lazaro Madara Memorial School in San Nicolas, Iriga City. The result of the RBI simulation for this school using CES ON Air via 107.1 Radyo Natin Iriga was recognized and featured in DepEd Philippines, the national agency’s official Facebook page.
After the simulations, the regular programming through the program’s radio partners became a staple for local students’ learning consumption, covering all elementary, secondary schools in the city.
Since October 2020, a total of 140 radio-based lessons were aired via 97.7 Good Vibes Radio, made possible through the teachers who served as radio hosts/anchors, radio teachers, and technical staff. School heads recommended the radio teachers, hosts, and anchors. They prepare radio-based lessons using the self-learning modules (SLMs).
‘Collaboration is Key’
The continuous success of the CES ON-Air program was achieved through the collaboration of all the stakeholders and key officials of the city’s local education sector.
For instance, supervising and providing technical assistance to the radio production team were Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Maria-Magnolia Brioso, CID Chief Jerson Toralde, SGOD Chief Noel Cabaltera, Education Program Supervisors In-Charge of Radio Based Instruction, Belen Pili for Secondary and RechieSalcedo for Elementary. Senior Education Program Specialist Virgilio S. Puso and Division Information Officer also assisted in implementing the program.
School heads and teachers alike are given responsibilities. Maricel Bernal, Principal of San Pedro National High School, is designated as Division RBI Coordinator. At the same time, Laila Namoro, Head Teacher I of Santiago Integrated School, is the Division RBI Co-Coordinator. Eda Dato, Master Teacher II of Iriga Central School, is the RBI Coordinator for Elementary and Jerickson Getizo for the Secondary. Lastly, Celito Sayson, Principal II of San Agustin Stand Alone Senior High School, serves as the liaison officer.
On the other hand, the local government is also involved in the project, headed by Honorable Mayor Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen.
‘Not an easy feat’
Aside from the great lessons learned by the Production Team during the program, they experienced a fair share of challenges that later broadened their horizon. From having to undergo home quarantine due to COVID-19 exposures to having to experience strong typhoons in just a month, the Production Team thought of ways to continue the program.
“Teachers were not the only ones developed. School heads alike were given exposure and showcased what they have got in radio broadcasting. There were one-man production episodes when an assigned member assumed all the anchor, videographer, and video-editor roles,” said Dato.
“There can be challenges along the way. But with all hands in the deck from the Schools Division Office to the schools at home, the community, plus the strong support of education stakeholders, the implementation of radio-based instruction successfully supplements the self-learning modules,” she added.
To date, the CES ON Air via Radyo Natin is still ongoing with Alternative Learning System (ALS) implementers, airing RBI-ALS lessons every Friday. In addition, other radio-based instructions, previously aired via Good Vibes Radio, recently suspended by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) due to franchise renewal concerns, are now being aired with new timeslots in Radyo Natin Iriga.
Photo and Image Courtesy: Ces On Air Iriga Facebook Page
