2 April 2014 - The Philippine Embassy in Brunei Darussalam concluded the 12th edition of its highly successful Filipino Language and Cultural Enrichment Program, Pilipino Pô Ako: Mag-aral Tayong Mag-Pilipino, with graduation rites held on March 21 at the Chancery.
The Program ran from March 15 to 21, coinciding with the school break of the children. The graduates included five from the Beginner’s Class (from ages 6-8 years old), 10 from the Junior’s Class (from ages 9-11 years old), and 15 from the Senior’s Class (from ages 12-14 years old).
Twenty-two (22) volunteer teachers from the Brunei Filipino Educators Club (BFEC) participated in the program.
In her Inspirational Message, Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat urged members of the BFEC to continue their best practices, such as accountability, transparency and honesty in handling funds, as well as teamwork and hard work, in implementing the program.
CDA Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat also encouraged the BFEC to raise the standards with each run, by building on past achievements, getting feedback from students and parents on how best to improve the program, and utilizing advances in technology. She also suggested that future runs include anew outdoor activities and field trips, and cooking demonstration sessions which injected fun into previous runs of the program while still contributing to the objective of enriching the children’s appreciation of Philippine culture.
Similarly, she urged parents to play a more active role in the Filipino Language and Cultural Enrichment Program, which had been originally envisioned as a tripartite partnership between the Embassy, the volunteer teachers, and the parents.
In concluding her speech, CDA Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat thanked all those who have contributed to the success of Pilipino Pô Ako: Mag-aral Tayong Mag-Pilipino for the past six years, including the volunteer teachers, parents, sponsors, media partners, Embassy officers and staff, and the students.
Part of the Graduation Program was a talk on health-issues conducted by Filipino professionals based in Brunei Darussalam. Guest speakers included Dr. Anthony Joseph Castro, an internist employed by Ministry of Health, who spoke on simple ways of maintaining good health, and his wife, Dra. Ma. Theresa Castro, a non-practicing pathologist, who spoke on the symptoms and early detection of breast cancer. Ms. Pearlie Jay Joson, a nutritionist/dietitian from a popular health club in Brunei Darussalam, spoke on the importance of maintaining a proper diet. END
