This Gen Z educator received hundreds of praises from the online community after he shared a glimpse of his life as a volunteer teacher.
“Wala tayong karapatangsukuan sila dahil hindi rin sila sumusuko sa mga pangarap nila,” 24-year-old Adrian Tabag wrote on TikTok after he uploaded a video of one of his teaching sessions.
“May God bless you more po 🙏🏻” a netizen commented.
“Milyong-milyong, pasasalamat 🙏🤝🤍🤍🤍” another said.
Adrian started volunteering in the Aeta community in Capas, Tarlac in 2024 after he saw a post from a non-governmental organization, Liwanag at Dunong, which said that they’re looking for members that would help them in their mission.
“Fulfilling ‘yung experience. Kasi, pagdating mo doon, ‘yung mga bata magtatakbuhan, ‘yung mga nanay yayakapin ka nila, sasabihin nila sa inyo, “Uy, thank you, bumalik ka.” Nakita ko ‘yung pangangailangan na every Sunday pumunta doon sa community,” he told The Philippine STAR.
“It’s a resettlement area po. Noong una, dapat mga bata lang ‘yung tinuturuan. ‘Yung mga matanda sa community. Sabi, ‘bata lang ba talaga ‘yung tuturuan?’ Tapos sabi, ‘Gusto din namin matutong magsulat, gusto din namin matuto magbasa,’” he added.
Adrian is currently a grade 7 teacher at the Tarlac National High School. He allots his Sundays to visiting the community where he teaches basic knowledge.
“Laging babalik ako kasi hindi natin sila pwedeng sukuan kasi sila mismo hindi sila sumusuko doon sa laban nila. Kung tatanong ninyo ‘yung mga nanay, ‘yung mga tatay na nag-aaral doon, ‘Bakit n’yo gusto matuto?’ ‘Kasi ayaw ko naloloko kami sa mga paninda namin, sa mga benta namin,’” he said.
“Kasi gusto kong turuan magbasa ng assignment ‘yung anak ko.” So, kung sila po hindi sila sumusuko, tayo na nagkaroon ng chance na makapag-aral nang formal, bakit tayo susuko?” he added.
Apart from working in a public school, volunteering in the said NGO was indeed fulfilling on his part.
“Nakakauwi na kami every Sunday. Natatapos na ‘yung session, five or six. Tapos, biyahe, about an hour or two from the community pauwi sa bahay. So, pagod siya, pero, ano ba ‘yung nagpapabalik-balik? Bakit instead na, magpahinga na lang, ‘no? Matulog na lang. Kasi ano siya, ito ‘yung nagpapatapak sa akin sa lupa,” Adrian noted.
Adding, “The experience makes me feel grounded dun sa trabaho na ‘yung Monday to Friday ko, may time po kasi na talaga sa pagod, sa stress, nakakalimutan mo na para saan mo ginagawa ‘yung pagtuturo.”
As he bonded in the community, he was able to debunk fake news on the qualities of our Aeta brothers and sisters.
“Una, hindi sila tamad mag-aral, hindi sila tamad magsumikap sa buhay. Hindi lang talaga sila nabibigyan ng chance, ng opportunity na lumago. As much as they learn from me as a voluntary teacher, I learn so much from them po,” he stressed.
It also opened his eyes to the struggle and difficulties the community had to face due to lack of education and resources.
“‘Yun po ‘yung reality. Hindi nakakaabot po sa kanilang basic service. So, we owe it to us, to ourselves, na ipaabot sa kanila ‘yung service na dapat natatamasa po nila. Iparamdam sa kanila na they’re one with us, na kasama natin sila, na welcome sila sa atin,” he noted.
Adrian then promised, “Hindi po kami magsasawa. Hangga’t gusto po ninyo, hangga’t welcome po kami sa community, babalik at babalik po talaga kami. Para makapagturo at matulungan at masamahan po kayo.”
