Thoughts from Famous Alumni


RH Bill and Poverty

POPULATION AND POVERTY
     By Atty. Robin P. Rubinos

            In the beginning, there was no rich or poor. All were equal. Land was owned in common and food was shared by everybody. But as time went on, private property was born and man became greedy. Nations progressed and civilization arose. The strong enslaved the weak and the clever duped the fool. Then, hunger spread over the land, the sad story of our creation.
            But, it was not like that at the start. Among primitive peoples, land was owned by the community and the tribe shared the fruits together. Told about the poor in London, a Samoan asked in astonishment: “How is it? No food? No friends? No house to live in? Where did he grow? Are there no houses belonging to his friends?” The words “mine” and “thine” which St. Chrysostom says extinguished in our hearts the fire of charity and kindled that of greed, were unknown to people we call savages.
            Hunters and herders had no need of private property in land. Hunters scoured the forest for food and herders grazed their cattle on the roam. But when women who stayed at home discovered agriculture - - that seeds thrown away soon sprout and grow - - men surrounded their backyard and called it their own. They guarded it fiercely and kept for themselves its produce, the beginning of private property. And when his crops fail, he envies his  neighbor’s field, and will soon cart away its harvest or even grab the land, the emergence of greed.
            From perfect equality of the primitive peoples, man progressed to the unmitigated inequality of modern civilization. And it was not overpopulation that bred this inequality, the poverty of most and the wealth of a few; it was greed.
            No evidence shows that too many people caused hunger. Have they counted how many tons of palay do we produce and divided it equally among the population? Have they added up the boats of fish hauled out of our deep seas and saw how many will feed each mouth? If they did, they would discover not a poor soul would go hungry.
            So why wrangle over the reproductive health bill? That is barking up  the wrong tree. It diverts over attention, it consumes our energy, it blinds us to the real culprit which is inequality and ultimately greed in our hearts.
            Advocates of the RH bill point to countries who have less population than before and are now progressing. But the statistics do not prove that they progressed because of low population. Rather, the evidence indicates the other way around - - that their progress caused their population to fall, as career individuals delay marriage or reduce childbirths because of their studies or jobs.
            We have family planning programs since the 1970s, our government distributing pills, IUDs and condoms and undertaking ligations and vasectomy. But it has had no effect. Why? Because it is against human nature, the instinct of preservation of the specie. So that in one rare instance when a man, an Aeta, agreed to be castrated, at the point when the operation was about to begin, he broke loose and fled.
            On the other hand, can we say that we have done all we could to stamp out the hunger grinding our stomachs, to ease the pain that wrings our hearts, in these our islands of tears and sorrow? Have we implemented true land reform? Have we built irrigation canals to water our field, and roads to bring our crops to the market? Have we sent the poor’s children to college for free, even if they have not passed the state colleges’ entrance examination because they studied only in public high schools in the province? Have we ensured that at least one member of poor families is employed in the government, even if they have not passed the civil service examinations because they did not go to exclusive schools or the University of the Philippines? Sadly, we have not and how miserably we have failed. This is the vision the government should set before the people and for whose realization, it should apply its finest creativity, devote its greatest zeal and summon its grandest eloquence. And surely, the people will answer the call to eradicate poverty and abolish inequality, and in the short life that we have, offer a nation of joy to our children.
            To this end, the debate over the reproductive health bill is useless.
____________________________________
     Atty. Robin P. Rubinos is Valedictorian of Diclum Elementary School Class 1966. He graduated also as Valedictorian at Dao Catholic High School.  As a scholar of Cecilia Munoz-Palma, he studied for his AB in Mass Communications at the Ateneo de Manila University and his Bachelor of Laws at the Ateneo Law School.  


      He was the Municipal Mayor of Tobias Fornier (1988-1992), Vice Governor of the Province of Antique (1992-1995, 1995-1998) and also served as Acting Governor in 1998. He is currently a topnotch practicing trial lawyer in Antique. He was invited as a Guest of Honor and Speaker during the school's 62nd Closing Exercises in 2009.

LATE, LATE BLOOMER
By Aireen Joy Pelingon Tarroja, M. D.

While the kids my age were enjoying playing in  the  streets  and  in  the  beach,  
I  sometimes  join them but preferred more staying indoors to play teacher to my younger cousins or eating fruits delightfully (like mangga, garangan, bangkiling, etc.) soaked in vinegar with closest friends.
While my elementary classmates were sharing crushes with one another, I was sharing jokes & stories.

While most of my high school classmates started having boyfriends & exchanged love notes, I was exchanging  Sweet Valley and Nancy Drew books with bestfriends.
While some friends started drinking beers & gins, I was so hesitant to drink Cali Shandy.
While most of my buddies graduated and worked, I graduated and studied again.
While some of my high school & elementary buddies  got  married  &  started  having  kids,  I  was preparing for another graduation.
While some of my classmate's kids have already started schooling, It’s the time I  began  earning,  saving  and  preparing...
Wow. Such a late bloomer I have been. Whenever I wonder what could have happened if I grew otherwise, I always get to the conclusion that... I’d rather bloom late than facing the sour consequences of being too impulsive to wait.     
But, of course, each of us has his own path to take; each of us has his/her unique, special fate.  :)         
I am grateful and blessed with mine. Ü


_____________________________________
Dr. Aireen Joy P Tarroja is Valedictorian of Class 1995 of Diclum ES. 
She also graduated valedictorian at Dao Catholic High School in 1998. 


She took up BS Public Health from the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (Miag-ao) and her Doctor of Medicine from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Manila. Dr. Tarroja also writes for various magazines & other kinds of publications.

OUR CORE VALUES



EXCELLENCE…we live by

        We believe in Excellence.  We believe in the adage that “there is no substitute for excellence, not even success.”  We are committed to contribute towards the creation of a self-reliant and self sufficient people by helping them achieve their full potentials and capabilities as human beings living in a community through a remarkable head start in their formative years of life.
         Each child must be given a warm and loving environment, a freedom to explore their world, and challenges to spark the flame of excellence within them.

                  
SERVICE...we pledge

         We believe in Service.  Public service is a public trust.  Every pupil and parent is special.  We always bear in mind that because of them, we exist.  We are committed to give the best public service they deserve.    Each child must be given the best learning experience possible, with efficiency, professionalism, competence, and passion as its cornerstone.


COMPETENCE…we strive for

         We believe in Competence.  The most important asset of the school is the teachers.  We believe that the best teacher who could produce a bright pupil is the one who had been a bright pupil or student himself.  We believe in a competitive, open, and credible selection process for teacher applicants in order to attract the best and the brightest teacher education graduate to our school.
         We believe that a good teacher is open-minded and responsive to the changing times.  Every teacher must be open to accept criticisms, willing to listen to comments and suggestions of his peers, supervisors, or parents, flexible to adapt good teaching and learning practices, and honest enough to accept his weaknesses.
         We are committed to bring out the best in every teacher we have through various training programs, peer mentoring, and strong support system designed to improve their skills, enhance their personality, sharpen their efficiency, and rekindle their passion for teaching.

____________________________
The Diclum Elementary School found out that several schools in Antique and elsewhere have plagiarized our core values published on this website and in the SIP we have submitted to the Division Office. 
We strongly condemn this culture of cheating and dishonesty among the teachers in DepEd. 

Our SIP had been named in 2008 as the Best in Antique and has been cited as the best example of such document in a many seminars and talks. We are proud to call it our own...a product of our own hard work and brainstorming.

Rocksteddy and Diclum Elementary School

For many years that a many question is asked about him,
we just had this time to go into admitting --openly and with great pride--
that he is among our alumni currently at helm.

By looking at the man, first from the left, would be like taking a sneak peek of what a Diclum Elementary School foundation can help you have the necessary boost to achieve your childhood dreams.

Juven S. Pelingon, is Class Valedictorian of Diclum Elementary School Class 1992. He attended Diclum ES from kinder and throughout his grade school.

The Diclum Elementary School Community takes pride of his achievement as part of the Rocksteddy band as it also takes pride with the achievements of its thousands other alumni worldwide.


Songs from our Grade School Days




A child’s experience in the grade school leaves a lasting impact on their future. Reading, writing, speaking, arithmetic, and basic knowledge in science and social studies are the essentials that every child must learn in order to be ready for their high school education and beyond.
     
Yet children must still be treated as children.  They learn things easily when matched with fun and a loving environment thru art and music that their age so requires. These are some of the songs that have been resonating in our classrooms since the days Americans opened our public schools.  Through these songs, children can also learn to read and speak correct English more easily with its repetitive tunes and simple words. 


(by TDS Pelingon. Do not plagiarize)


Relive your childhood memories singing these songs back in time at Diclum Elementary School


"Atin Cu Pung Singsing"
 is a folk song from Pampanga
 but very popular nationwide in schools for so many years 
as it is made part of music textbooks

ATIN CU PUNG SINGSING
(English Version)

Tell me where is my ring
Set with its precious stone
T’was a beautiful one
Mother gave me to own

Oh with true loving care
I have set it away
But now it isn’t there
Where is it who can say
  
Pampango Version:
Atin cu pung singsing,
Metung yang timpucan;
Amana que iti
queng indung ibatan;
Sangcan queng sininup
keng metung a caban,
Mewala ya iti,
Ecu camalayan.
Ing sucal ning lub cu,
Susucdul quing banua,
Picurus cung gamat
Babo ning lamesa;
Nino mang manaquit
Queng singsing cung mana
Calulung puso cu
Manginuya que a .

Tagalog Version:
Ako ay may singsing
May batong kay inam
Binigay sa akin
Ng mahal kong nanay
Sa tapat ng dibdib
Iningat-ingatan
Kung saan nawaglit
'Di ko na malaman
Nawala ang singsing
'Di ko na nakita
Abot hanggang langit
Ang taglay kong dusa
Sino mang binata
Ang makakukuha
Ang abang puso ko
Ay magiging kanya









" Clementine" 
is an American children's song popularized by American teachers in Philippine public schools
 during the colonial period...


CLEMENTINE
American Folk Children’s Song

In a cavern, in a canyon,
Excavating for a mine
Dwelt a miner forty niner,
And his darling Clementine.
Refrain:
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine

Light she was and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine,
Herring boxes, without topses,
Sandals were for Clementine.
(Refrain)

Drove she ducklings to the water
Ev'ry morning just at nine,
Hit her foot against a splinter,
Fell into the foaming brine.
(Refrain)

Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles, soft and fine,
But, alas,
I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Clementine.

(Refrain)

How I missed her! How I missed her,
How I missed my Clementine,
But I kissed her little sister,
I forgot my Clementine.

(
Refrain)

Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine




The Caisson Song, remember playing this in the Drum & Lyre Corp?

Heaven Watch the Philippines

Heaven watch the Philippines
 Keep her safe from harm 
Guard her sons and their precious ones 
In the city and the farm 
Friendly with America 
Let her always be 
Heaven watch the Philippines 
and keep her forever free 
 and keep her forever free."


Red River Valley
(American Folk Song...remember playing this in the Drum & Lyre Corps as well?)




Tommorow
(A Graduation Song favorite circa 1990s)



Santa Clara
(Bulacan Folk Song)

Pamulinawen
(Ilokano Folk Song)

Mocking Bird Hill
(Missed singing this waltz during your Grade II or V?
or you have probably danced with it during your Prep...)


Mananita Song

A popular birthday song usually offered at dawn as a surprise serenade called "Mananita" itself.
Originally a Spanish song, it has been translated into English and had become very popular in the last century.



I. how beautiful is the morning, as we come and waken you
with God's early morning blessing, with pleasure we sing to you

II. on the day that you were born, the flowers come into bloom
and at the baptismal font, all the saints brought forth their song.

chorus: the dawn is now appearing, the rays of the sun break through
arise early this bright morning, as we sing hello to you.

III.How i wish i were Saint Peter,How i wish i were Saint John
as we bring this salutation, in the very early dawn.

IV. from all the stars in the heaven, how i wish i could get you two
one to tell you good morning, and another to bid you adieu.
(repeat chorus)