If you were to walk more than 3 hours on a mountain path that often gets so muddy even the toughest habalhabal motorcycles can’t traverse, would you still go to school every day? That question goes for students and teachers alike, but for Jowilee Dela Cruz, the question is irrelevant because his answer would always be, “Yes!”
Photo credit: Jowilee Dela Cruz / Facebook
Assigned at Bato Elementary School, Dela Cruz shared that it would take about 7 hours for him and his fellow teachers to reach the place. Meanwhile, many of the students also live far from the school and have to walk some 3 hours to get there, yet most of them never fail to go to school every single day!
Photo credit: Jowilee Dela Cruz / Facebook
Dela Cruz shared that the Dumagat kids studying in this school are all eager to learn, even when none of them had any idea about the technological advances that kids down below are taking for granted. There’s no Google here, no Facebook! But then there’s also no electricity so the lack of wifi signal is negligible.
Photo credit: Jowilee Dela Cruz / Facebook
But even if they don’t have cellphones or have any help from Google to make their assignments, these kids enjoy going to school. They try their best not to be absent because they all want to learn.
Photo credit: Jowilee Dela Cruz / Facebook
Because of their determination, the teacher was impressed by these students. He shared photos of the roads leading to the small school and the students, with many not even having slippers on their feet.
Photo credit: Jowilee Dela Cruz / Facebook
On rainy days, they brave the weather to still go school because they don’t want to miss their lessons.
Dela Cruz calls on kind netizens to send their donations, whether clothes, groceries, hygiene kits, raincoats and umbrellas, school supplies, or anything they want to share to these Dumagat learners.
Photo credit: Jowilee Dela Cruz / Facebook
“Sa kaunting Halaga, maraming puso ang mapapasaya,” Dela Cruz ends his post.
Photo credit: Jowilee Dela Cruz / Facebook
For donations and further inquiries, just contact the teacher through his Facebook page, Jowilee Dela Cruz.
