PASAY CITY, February 27, 2019 – Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones received a Partner in Empowerment, Advocacy, and Commitment to Excellence (PEACE) trophy awarded to the Department of Education (DepEd) by the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) during its 40th anniversary celebration at the Le Pavillon, Metropolitan Park, Pasay City on February 21.

The MBFI bestows the PEACE recognition to its institutional partners from the government, non-government and socio-civic organizations, media, academe, and business. DepEd consistently supports the various programs of the MBFI including the Search for Outstanding Filipinos, Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge (MMC), and the National Teachers’ Month (NTM) and National Teachers’ Day (NTD) celebrations.

“Metrobank Foundation blazed the trail in giving recognition to exemplary men and women. They are indeed an invaluable partner in the realization of our goal to deliver quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education,” Briones shared.

Outstanding educators
Meanwhile, four DepEd teachers and officials—who were all awardees of the Metrobank Search for Outstanding Teachers—were also conferred with the Award for Continuing Excellence and Service (ACES) for their sustained outstanding service in the performance of their profession, as well as their substantive contributions to their institution and communities.

These include Lynn Padillo, Chief of the Curriculum Implementation Division in Naga City Division; Jesus Insilada, principal of Caninguan National High School in Calinog, Iloilo; Estrelita Peña, principal of Francisco Ramos National High School in Zamboanga Sibugay; and Marivi L. Castro, Master Teacher from General Santos City SPED Integrated School.

Padillo’s exemplary accomplishments include the development of modules which were replicated and adopted by teachers nationwide. Insilada, meanwhile, is dubbed as Iloilo’s culture advocate who employs culture-based teaching, and advocates the rights of indigenous peoples. Peña championed the Department’s Drop-out Reduction Program, while Castro inculcated a culture of reading in the classroom, primarily through her Read-Aloud Day initiative.

“Forty years and hundreds of meaningful collaborations later, hope has not waned; rather it persists with tenacity that the goals we have set will be realized. We look forward to stronger collaboration and broader spaces for multi-sectoral involvement of generations to come,” MBFI president Aniceto Sobrepeña stated.

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