Dec 10, 2024 – Philippines, Mindanao, Day 1: Inauguration of School for Children with Special Needs in Pangantucan, Carilangan
Hello everyone. Today, we arrived in Mindanao, Philippines. For the next six days, Sunim will stay in Mindanao to visit and inaugurate the schools built by JTS over the past year.
This year, JTS Philippines built a total of 10 schools. One school’s inauguration was held in advance due to its remote location, and the remaining nine school inaugurations will be conducted over the next five days.
Departing from Incheon Airport at 1:15 AM, we flew for 4 hours and 15 minutes, arriving at Manila Airport at 4:30 AM local time.
At the airport, we met and greeted the Philippine Jungto Society members who were joining us for this visit.
After checking in our luggage, we waited at the gate for our departure time. Despite the early hour, many people had gathered to board their flights. After completing the boarding process, we had breakfast with kimbap prepared by the Philippine Jungto Society members.
At 7 AM, we boarded another domestic flight from Manila to Mindanao. Thinking the plane had taken off, everyone fell into a deep sleep, but when we woke up and opened our eyes, the plane was still in place. There had been a delay of 1 hour and 50 minutes.
We finally departed from Manila Airport at around 9 AM. An hour after takeoff, we could see Mindanao Island in the distance through the airplane window.
After 10 AM, we arrived at Laguindingan Airport in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao. Dharma Teacher Hyanghun and other JTS Philippines volunteers warmly welcomed Sunim and the JTS visiting group.
“Thank you for coming. Welcome to Mindanao.”
After loading our luggage, we boarded the bus. The JTS Philippines volunteers distributed pre-prepared information booklets, schedules, and snacks to the visiting group. As the bus departed, Sunim introduced each member of the visiting group one by one.
The visiting group included about 20 people, including Park Gena, JTS Representative, Roh Jae-guk, JTS Philippines Representative, writer Kim Hong-shin, who always supports and participates in JTS activities, and Philippine Jungto Society volunteers. Notably, two media staff members from the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation also joined this visit to document Sunim’s activities.
After the introductions, with a big round of applause, the bus headed towards Pangantucan, where the first school inauguration ceremony would be held. We had lunch with the boxed meals prepared by JTS Philippines volunteers on the bumpy bus ride.
We made one stop at a place with restrooms and arrived at the Pangantucan Special Education (SPED) School at 2 PM. As the JTS visiting group got off the bus, teachers, parents, and students all cheered and welcomed us warmly.
Korean flags fluttered from the school entrance to the newly completed classrooms.
Moving to the front of the newly built school, we first held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the completion. With Sunim at the center, the Korean visiting group stood on one side, while officials from the Department of Education, local government, and military stood on the other.
“One, two, three!”
Then we moved to the front of the signboard for the unveiling ceremony.
“One, two, three!”
Next, a priest prayed for the school and students, followed by a blessing ceremony for each classroom. Sunim and the JTS visiting group followed the priest, joining in the blessings.
We then sang the Philippine national anthem and the Korean national anthem together.
As the mayor couldn’t attend due to other commitments, the vice mayor gave a welcoming speech for the JTS visiting group, followed by a progress report from JTS Philippines Representative Roh Jae-guk.
From the initial site survey, the mayor of Pangantucan had personally come out and earnestly requested the construction of the school. It turned out that the mayor was a former teacher, his wife is a teacher, and their daughter is also a teacher at this Pangantucan Special Education School. Thanks to the mayor’s active commitment, the construction progressed quickly. Especially, having an agreement with the military engineering corps, the soldiers provided a lot of assistance.
The newly built school will accommodate a total of 31 students with disabilities, including 4 students with language disabilities, 2 with cerebral palsy, 2 with hearing impairments, and 4 with attention difficulties. Previously, all classes were conducted in a single classroom, but now they will be able to provide tailored education for different types of disabilities in the three newly built classrooms.
Sunim presented the completion certificate to the vice mayor.
Then, Representative Park Gena handed over the key to the vice superintendent of education.
Next, Representative Roh Jae-guk presented clocks to the principal, one for each classroom.
The villagers cheered loudly, expressing their joy.
Plaques of appreciation were awarded to those who had contributed the most effort. Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, JTS Philippines Representative Roh Jae-guk, the military, the Department of Education, and the Barangay representative each received an award plaque.
Then, we signed the documents finalizing this school construction project.
Next, the students of Pangantucan Special Education School presented performances they had practiced diligently. They expressed their excitement and joy through dance and music.
Although their movements were somewhat limited due to their disabilities, it was deeply moving to see the students freely expressing their emotions through dance and music according to their individual conditions.
Next, Sunim came forward to give a congratulatory speech, receiving a big round of applause.
“Hello everyone. It’s nice to meet you all. I sincerely congratulate you on the inauguration of the Pangantucan SPED School today. Students, are you happy that a new school has been built for you?”
“Yes.”
The children answered loudly, their voices almost breaking with excitement.
“The completion of this new school today is first and foremost thanks to the dedication of the Pangantucan mayor. I also want to thank the SPED principal and teachers. We are grateful to the military engineering corps who built this school. Thank you for building it so beautifully. I also want to express my gratitude to the Bukidnon Province Superintendent of Education and education officials for their interest in students with disabilities. We are thankful to the Korean JTS donors who provided financial support. Lastly, I want to thank the JTS Philippines representative and volunteers who took responsibility for this project and worked hard to make this construction possible. It was because of the combined efforts of many people and organizations that we were able to build this school.
Every Child Has the Right to Receive Education at the Right Time
You just saw the children singing and dancing, didn’t you? Having a disability doesn’t mean being inferior; it just means life is a bit more inconvenient. It’s inconvenient when you can’t see or hear well. Sometimes it’s inconvenient when you can’t use your hands or feet well. These are just inconveniences, not inferiorities or faults. With a bit more training, people with disabilities can live just like anyone else. That’s why they need slightly better facilities and educational environments that can accommodate fewer students per classroom than regular classrooms. Of course, this might be more economically burdensome. However, every child born into this world has the right to receive education at the right time. That’s why we, various organizations, have gathered here to provide children with disabilities the same educational opportunities as other children.
Building a classroom is just the beginning. We must continue to show interest in this endeavor. These students need more educational materials than regular students, and teachers need to pay more attention to them. Parents also need to show more attention to their children. Let’s work together to help these children grow well and become self-sufficient. JTS supports children’s education based on the belief that every child born into this world should receive timely education.”
The villagers cheered loudly, clapping their hands with joy.
After Sunim’s congratulatory speech, many local officials gave speeches in response. Representatives of parents, the commander of the engineering battalion, the vice superintendent of Education, and the village chief came forward one by one to express their gratitude.
“You have shown true collaborative spirit for the welfare of our children. You have given importance to our children with disabilities. Now our children will be able to learn and grow in a more comfortable environment. We will cherish this building and preserve it well for the next generation of learners.” – Parent Representative
“The 5th Engineering Battalion will continue to do its best to provide such services in the future, just as we did in this project.” – Commander of the Engineering Battalion
“Today, our special education students have received a truly beautiful gift. Thank you sincerely, JTS, Pangantucan local government, and the Philippine Army! Today, you have shown your love and care for students receiving special education. Words of gratitude cannot fully express our feelings for your kindness and generosity. This gratitude comes from the depths of our hearts.” – Deputy Superintendent of Education
“Without JTS, this project would not have been realized. As public servants in our region, our vision is to ensure that no one is left behind. This project perfectly embodies that goal. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank JTS.” – Vice Mayor
Everyone took a commemorative photo together. The children enthusiastically called out the name of their village.
“Pangantucan! Thank you, JTS!”
The residents had prepared food with great care, but due to the late arrival of the morning flight, the entire schedule was pushed back, and the next school inauguration ceremony was waiting. Sunim asked for understanding.
“I’m sorry. We’re running late for our next appointment, so we’ll have to leave right away, accepting your kindness in spirit only.”
The parents and teachers, feeling regretful, followed the bus and brought bananas for the group to eat during their journey.
After another 30-minute bus ride, the group arrived at the Kalilangan School for Children with Disabilities at 3:30 PM. As Sunim and the JTS delegation got off the bus, the teachers welcomed them by placing garlands around their necks.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony began immediately. The ribbon was made long so that all the attending dignitaries could participate in the commemorative cutting together.
“One, two, three!”
After the unveiling ceremony, commemorative photos were taken.
All the students and parents gathered in the schoolyard. First, they sang both the Philippine national anthem and the South Korean national anthem together. The Korean national anthem resonated in this distant foreign land.
Then, the mayor gave a welcoming speech.
“This project is the result of collaboration between JTS, the Engineering Battalion, the Department of Education, and the Kalilangan local government. It shows what we can achieve when we work together towards a common goal. This project will not only improve the quality of education for students but also strengthen our spirit of solidarity and cooperation. We hope that this project will benefit many generations to come. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who made this project a reality.”
Next, Mr. Noh Jae-guk, the representative of JTS Philippines, gave a progress report on the school’s construction.
When the first survey occurred at this school, 21 students with intellectual disabilities including ADHD, 10 with autism spectrum disorder, 5 with hearing impairments, 1 with visual impairment, and 43 with cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities were using two regular classrooms for their lessons. Due to the lack of classrooms, one classroom was divided by partitions. The teachers reported that the number of students with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD was increasing, and they requested larger classrooms and dedicated SPED classrooms for these students. The engineering battalion took charge of the construction for this school as well, allowing for rapid progress.
Next, the students from the school for children with disabilities gave a celebratory performance. As the music started, the children who came forward danced freely and joyfully, each in their own way and to the best of their abilities.
Sunim presented the completion certificate to the mayor.
Then, Representative Park Gena handed over the key to the vice superintendent of education.
Next, Representative Noh Jae-guk presented clocks to the principal so that they could be hung in each classroom.
The villagers cheered loudly with joy.
Then, they signed the documents finalizing this school construction project.
Next, Sunim gave a congratulatory speech.
“I sincerely congratulate you on the completion ceremony of the Kalilangan Special School today. Students, are you happy that a new school has been built?”
“Yes!”
The children cheered and responded. Sunim continued.
“Building a school by itself doesn’t automatically lead to learning. You must listen well to your teachers and study hard. I hope you will learn everything you want to learn in your new classrooms. Having a disability doesn’t mean you’re lacking. It just means you face some inconveniences. We can overcome inconveniences if we make an effort. Students, you need to put in more effort. Teachers need to provide special education for children with disabilities. Parents, you need to take more care of your children.
Many people’s efforts have gone into building this school today. First, the mayor of Kalilangan and everyone else at the municipal office have given their support. The superintendent of education in Bukidnon Province and the staff are working hard for special education, and the Barangay has also provided a lot of support. Korean JTS provided material support, and the volunteers of JTS Philippines always paid attention to ensure this school was built well. This school building was constructed through the combined efforts of many people.
JTS is not just a support organization; it’s an organization that Joins Together. The construction of this SPED (Special Education) classroom was possible because we joined hands and worked together. The founding spirit of JTS includes the idea that we adults should join hands to help children who couldn’t learn get an education. We’re building schools for indigenous students living deep in the mountains because it’s difficult for them to get educational opportunities. We’re building schools in conflict areas where children can’t receive education due to security issues, providing them with opportunities to learn. And we’re building special schools like this for children with disabilities. When we first built the SPED school in Talaingod, most local municipalities didn’t have schools for students with disabilities. But now it seems that the Department of Education has a policy to build one SPED school in each area. We want to support whatever we can, in line with the Department of Education’s policy, to ensure that students with disabilities can study without inconvenience.
Having classrooms alone does not ensure that students with disabilities can receive an education. Good teachers are essential. Therefore, the Ministry of Education should train many special education teachers who can teach children with disabilities. Students also need a lot of educational materials for their studies. Let’s work together to support the provision of these educational materials.
Didn’t you just see the children come out and sing cheerfully? With just a little support from us, these children can live average lives. Let’s make effort together with the Ministry of Education and the county office to educate these children continuously, with ongoing attention, so that they can live just like other students without disabilities.
I would like to express my gratitude for the special effort made by the military engineering corps in constructing this school. Protecting the nation and its people doesn’t always require military methods. I hope you continue to support such efforts to aid in the education of citizens, recognizing that this too falls within the military’s objectives.”
Following this, the guests who participated in building the school came forward one by one to give their responses. First, the mayor stepped up to speak.
“Today, we have received a beautiful gift. This gift is a school building with five classrooms for SPED students. This project would not have been possible without the cooperation of JTS. We sincerely thank you for coming all the way from Korea by plane. This building will be of great help to students receiving special education. Thanks to the continued efforts of the Department of Education and the Philippine Army, this project has been successfully completed.”
Next, the commander of the engineering corps gave a congratulatory speech.
“Carilangan Central School has been receiving continuous support from our engineering corps, and today, as you have witnessed, we have completed another five-classroom building. JTS provided all the construction materials, and the LGU supported the operational costs, including additional living expenses for our soldiers. The engineering corps will continue to provide such services in future projects as we have done in this one.”
Following this, we heard consecutive congratulatory speeches from the vice superintendent of education and the vice mayor.
“We deeply appreciate the dedication of JTS and the volunteer soldiers. Your efforts have had a significant impact on our school and the lives of our students. We are profoundly grateful for your kindness in changing our children’s lives in meaningful ways.” – Vice Superintendent of Education
“We deeply appreciate the dedication of JTS and the soldiers. Your efforts have had a significant impact on our school and the lives of our students. We are profoundly grateful for your kindness in changing our children’s lives in meaningful ways.” – Parent Representative
Next, the teachers from the school for children with special needs performed a folk dance.
Finally, the vice mayor concluded the completion ceremony with closing remarks.
“This project is the result of collaboration between Join Together Society, the Philippine Engineering Corps, the Department of Education, and the local government of Carilangan. It demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together towards a common goal. This project will not only improve the quality of education for students but also strengthen our spirit of solidarity and cooperation. We hope that this project will benefit many generations to come. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who participated and made this project a reality.”
By this time, the sun had set. After the completion ceremony, we all went to the school’s front yard for a commemorative tree planting.
We took a commemorative photo in front of the newly constructed school building.
“Thank you JTS! Carilangan!”
After the photo shoot, we took a tour of the newly built special education (SPED) building.
It was evident that extra care had been taken with these classrooms, as they were for children with disabilities. After touring the classrooms, we had dinner with food prepared by the parents and teachers.
Parents and children also joined in the meal.
After concluding the completion ceremony, we left Carilangan at 6 PM and arrived at our accommodation at 7 PM.
After a light dinner, we watched a video showcasing the journey of JTS Philippines over the past 20 years.
Following this, we had a formal introduction session again. Sunim introduced each person, listing those who had worked hard over the past 22 years since the start of the Mindanao project.
“The 20-year project of JTS Philippines was made possible by the efforts of many people. First, this project began at the request of Archbishop Tony in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao. In the early stages, Dodong and Trel made significant contributions. Tia also volunteered a lot, and Jesse played a big role.
Many Jungto Society volunteers, from staff member Choi Jeong-yeon to Dharma Teacher Hyanghun, have contributed to this project. A total of 26 staff members have been dispatched, serving for periods ranging from one to seven years. The person who played the most significant role is former representative Lee Won-joo. He served as the representative of JTS Philippines for 20 years and played a leading role in the Mindanao project. Secondly, I would like to express my gratitude to the current representative, Noh Jae-guk, who has continued the work and built 10 schools this year. Vice representative Lee Gyu-cho, Mr. Heo Chun, and the female volunteers of JTS Philippines have also provided unwavering support. I am truly grateful to all of them.
JTS’s activities in Mindanao began when I received the Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding in 2002. When I went to receive the award, Archbishop Tony guided me. He requested that we apply our experience in peace activities between North and South Korea to help the conflict-ridden region of Mindanao, and that’s how it all started. Over the past 20 years, there have been many challenges, although the video seems to show only the successes. While it may sound simple and easy, it was actually extremely difficult in the beginning.”
The entire JTS delegation expressed their gratitude with a big round of applause.
Next, various videos introducing JTS activities were shown. The footage included Sunim’s recent meeting with Ramon Magsaysay Award recipients, the recent school inauguration ceremony in Syria, and Dharma Teacher Hyanghun’s explanation of the process leading to the completion of 10 newly constructed schools.
Finally, Trel, who has been involved with the Mindanao project since its inception, shared several entertaining anecdotes from the early days of pioneering this project.
“In 2003, we heard that Koreans were coming to visit impoverished areas. We guided them to a poor area near our farm. After the visit, they mentioned the word ‘help’ and expressed interest in visiting a Muslim community. Since Marawi was too far, we took them to a nearby Muslim area. It was a rainy day, and we finished the visit in very dark conditions. The next day, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim held a meeting with the local community, asking parents and children if they needed a school. He decided right there to ‘start the school tomorrow.’ The following day, Sunim personally handed over an envelope containing 250,000 pesos. We took the funds to a hardware store to purchase materials and began school construction the next day.
Initially, there were difficulties due to differences in work methods between Korea and the Philippines. In Korea, they wanted to proceed quickly, but in the Philippines, we emphasized the importance of cooperating with local governments. So, even though it took time, we carried out the project in cooperation with local governments. In the beginning, there were many challenges in transporting materials and collaborating with local communities. For example, in some areas, road conditions were so poor that materials had to be transported by river. Korean volunteers emphasized work speed, but in the Philippines, administrative procedures and consultations were necessary. Eventually, we found a way to harmonize Korean and Filipino methods.
Venerable Pomnyun Sunim and Korean volunteers were very dedicated. I often couldn’t devote much time due to family responsibilities, but I made every effort possible. JTS is not simply a donor organization but a collaborative entity working together with local communities. There were many failures and challenges in the beginning, but through these, we were able to learn better systems and grow as an organization. For instance, initially, cooperating with local governments was difficult and time-consuming, but gradually, projects became smoother through collaboration with the Department of Education and local governments. Over 21 years, JTS has greatly contributed to providing educational opportunities for children in poor areas by building many schools in the Philippines.”
Although there was a desire to share more stories, the JTS delegation had arrived from a night flight and had a full day’s schedule without rest, so all activities concluded at 9:40 PM.
Tomorrow’s schedule includes a school inauguration ceremony in the morning at Mabawag, an indigenous area in San Fernando, followed by another inauguration ceremony at Bungbung School in the afternoon. In the evening, there will be a live broadcast of the Weekly Dharma Assembly.
