By Leo Udtohan
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| Maurine Castaño, principal of Dr. Cecilio National High School in Tagbilaran City, says the school has 7, 288 students and counting. The school has also to construct makeshift classrooms after the four-story building was damaged by typhoon Odette (Rai) last year. Photos: Leo Udtohan |
Grade school pupils and high school students have attended their first day of classes last Monday with a mixture of anxiety and excitement.
Lady Jeen Canabes, a 13-year-old first year student of Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School (DCPNHS) in Tagbilaran City, said she was both happy and nervous on attending her first day of class along with thousands of students.
"I was nervous and excited because it's my first day of face-to-face classes," said Lady Jeen who had to learn how to wake up early.
Authorities directed school officials of DCPNHS to vacate the four-story building for safety reasons.
Principal Maurine Castaño said the building with 20 classrooms was damaged by typhoon Odette (international name: "Rai") last Dec. 16, 2021. The roofs blown off by the typhoon were still on the ground. The school authorities cordoned the area for the safety of the teachers and students.
"If we are going to base it on our enrolment, we really have a shortage of classroom," said Castaño. "However, we have innovative ways of overcoming that challenge."
Castaño said they have to construct makeshift classrooms inside the school's gymnasium to accomodate students.
The school also implemented the class program that a whole day is alloted for transient sections to accomodate those with no classrooms during vacant days.
Some teachers were already using lapel mic on Monday's opening of classes.
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| Grade 7 teacher Ma. Claire Fudalan is using lapel mic while teaching at Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School in Tagbilaran City, Bohol during last Monday’s opening of classes. Photo: Leo Udtohan |
She said she has been using lapel mic inside the class for the past years.
"Using this lapel mic, the students can hear (me) loudly, clearly using my natural voice. Of course, it's a great help for my throat," Fudalan said.
Since she doesn’t need to raise her voice because of the noise and the clatter of students hustling through the hallway, the students are more focused and fewer teachers with strained voices.
Her colleagues are also using the lapel mic clipped to their uniforms to preserve their voice and prevent fatigue.
DCPNHS has 7, 288 students as of Friday's enrolment compared to last year's 8,420. Still the school has the biggest population of students in Bohol.
The school is using blended learning, face to face and modular. The online learning was totally wiped out due to unstable internet signal after Odette.
The school has another campus in Barangay Cabawan to decongest population.
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Most memorable lines from our newsmakers (and why we are moved, if we are moved):
Col. Osmundo Salibo, director of the Bohol Provincial Police Office, on the alleged kidnapping incidents in Ubay and Calape: "There are no parents who complained that their kids were kidnapped. Actually, there was an information but there was no confirmation."
Dr. Jaime Bernadas, director of DOH-Central Visayas, during the turned-over of 27 ambulances to Bohol towns: "Our municipalities are the frontliners for preventive and community medicine."
Gov. Aris Aumentado on being endorsed as chair of the Regional Development Council (RDC)-Central Visayas: "I decided to accept the nomination because we can have harmonious working relationship with the other local chief executives of Bohol, Oriental Negros and Siquijor. Thank you for your nomination."
Board Member Jamie Aumentado Villamor for donating a rubber boat and safety gears to National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Region 7-Bohol Integrated Irrigation System: "NIA plays a vital role from planning, design, construction, operation, management, maintenance, and even the rehabilitation and repair of the irrigation systems. Hence, it is only fitting to support and give importance to the equipment they need."
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This anecdote from Capitol employee Miralyn Lopez- Munil she culled from the Internet. " Something worth sharing," she shared.
Steve Jobs dies a billionaire, with a fortune of $7 billion, at the age of 56 from pancreatic cancer, and here are some of his last words.
“In other eyes, my life is the essence of success, but aside from work, I have a little joy. And in the end, wealth is just a fact of life to which I am accustomed.”
“At this moment, lying on the bed, sick and remembering all my life, I realize that all my recognition and wealth that I have is meaningless in the face of imminent death. You can hire someone to drive a car for you, make money for you – but you can not rent someone to carry the disease for you. One can find material things, but there is one thing that can not be found when it is lost – “LIFE”.
Treat yourself well, and cherish others. As we get older we are smarter, and we slowly realize that the watch is worth $30 or $300 – both of which show the same time. Whether we carry a purse worth $30 or $300 – the amount of money in the wallets are the same. Whether we drive a car worth $150,000, or a car worth $30,000 – the road and distance are the same, we reach the same destination. If we drink a bottle worth $300 or wine worth $10 – the “stroller” will be the same. If the house we live in is 300 square meters, or 3000 square meters – the loneliness is the same.”
“Your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world. Whether you’re flying first class, or economy class – if the plane crashes, you crash with it.”
So, I hope you understand that when you have friends or someone to talk to – this is true happiness!
Five Undeniable Facts
1)Do not educate your children to be rich. Educate them to be happy. – So when they grow up they will know the
value of things, not the price.
2)Eat your food as medicine, otherwise you will need to eat your medicine as food.
3)Whoever loves you will never leave you, even if he has 100 reasons to give up. He will always find one reason to hold on.
4)There is a big difference between being human and human being.
5)If you want to go fast – go alone! But if you want to go far – go together.
And in conclusion...
The six best doctors in the world: Sunlight. Rest. Exercise. Diet. Self-confidence. Friends
Keep them in all stages of life and enjoy a healthy life.
Whichever stage in life we are at right now, with time, we will face the day when the curtain comes down.
Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends...
Treat yourself well. Cherish others.
“Love the people God sent you, one day He’ll need them back.”
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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.
