Sunday, March 30, 2025

Bukidnon teacher Junmerth Jorta among the top 50 finalists of 2025 Global Teacher Prize

MANILA, Philippines (Feb 09, 2025, 08:08 AM PHT) — Junmerth Jorta, a public school teacher in Bukidnon, has earned a spot among the Top 50 finalists for the 2025 GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize

Jorta, who also received the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipino Teacher Award in 2022, was celebrated for his dedication that began in a remote indigenous community in Sitio Balugo, Kalagangan, San Fernando, Bukidnon, viewing his role as a calling rather than just a job.
“I want to continue doing my best for the countless IP (indigenous people) children, helping them prepare at an early age to have the highest possible chances of becoming successful in the near future,” said Junmerth.
More than half of Indigenous Peoples see themselves as ‘poor,’ according to the World Bank.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Junmerth shared the challenges he faced when he began teaching in 2015.
Faced with a lack of electricity, water supply, sanitation facilities, and access to television or radio-based instruction, he was determined to bring change and serve the community.
He collaborated with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local government units (LGUs), and private organizations, convinced it was his duty to connect with the right stakeholders to provide essential resources and support for the learners.
Balugo Pagkaon Sakto Program

This program emerged from the harsh reality that numerous students of Junmerth come to school feeling hungry. He launched this daily hunger-free lunch initiative to address malnutrition, improve attendance, and enhance learning outcomes.
Supported by partnerships with NGOs such as the Hapag-Asa Foundation, the municipal mayor’s office, and the Department of Agriculture, the program has been operating successfully for seven years.
An NGO obtains surplus food from restaurants and hotels to feed the poor.
This effort has not only curbed absenteeism and dropouts but has also encouraged students to engage actively in class.
“A well-nourished child is more attentive and ready to learn, proving that you cannot truly teach a hungry child,” said Jorta.

Basa Balugo Program

To address literacy challenges, Jorta developed a special reading program for non-readers. By teaching in the students’ first language, he established a strong foundation for comprehension and confidence.
Through this collaborative approach, he created contextualized and indigenized reading materials embedded with effective strategies that students could bring home for practice.
Regular home visits further supported struggling students, encouraging older siblings and parents to participate in their development. This approach ensured that students received continuous learning support beyond the classroom.

Special Class Program

To address literacy challenges, Jorta developed a special reading program for non-readers. By teaching in the students’ first language, he established a strong foundation for comprehension and confidence.
Through this collaborative approach, he created contextualized and indigenized reading materials embedded with effective strategies that students could bring home for practice.
Regular home visits further supported struggling students, encouraging older siblings and parents to participate in their development. This approach ensured that students received continuous learning support beyond the classroom.

Okay sa Balugo Program

Jorta also organized a program to strengthen the school’s resources through partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
“Together, we secured funding for additional classrooms, chairs, a stage, and restrooms,” he said.
Private donors contributed school supplies, health kits, and even internet connectivity, ensuring access to online learning resources. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they implemented radio-based teaching to ensure continuity of education.
Beyond education, Jorta also advocated for improvements in infrastructure, which included a farm-to-market road project, securing initial funding to address transportation issues within the community.
“Though only part of the road is completed, I remain hopeful for additional support under the new administration,” he said.
Over nearly eight years, Jorta has witnessed the struggles of the community. Through resilience and collaboration with the community, he has strived to uplift the lives of students and families in Sitio Balugo, demonstrating that education is a powerful catalyst for change.
These innovations, achieved through collaborative efforts, reflect his commitment to addressing issues via community-driven solutions, fostering an inclusive and thriving learning environment.
“To all educators worldwide, especially those teaching in remote and underserved communities, our work is more than just a profession; it is a lifeline of hope and opportunity,” Junmerth added.
The Global Teacher Prize is an annual award of US$1 million presented by the Varkey Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to a teacher who has made a significant impact in the field. (Ronnie Crispo Jr./ABS-CBN News Intern)

Mt. Kitanglad gipanghingusgan nga maprotektahan

“𝐴𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑘𝑜𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑎ℎ𝑖 𝑠𝑎 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑘𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑎 𝐵𝑢𝑘𝑖𝑑𝑛𝑜𝑛, 𝑛𝑔𝑎 𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑎𝑏𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑘𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑛ℎ𝑜𝑛 𝑛𝑔𝑎 𝑘𝑎𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑚 𝑛𝑔𝑎 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑛𝑎𝑔-𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑘𝑡𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑎 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑦𝑎ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎 𝑠𝑎 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑘𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑛”, kini ang mensahi ni Bae Adelina ‘Inatlawan’ Tarino, usa sa mga Mt. Kitanglad Council of Elders

Nasulti niya kini atol sa gipahigayon nga 27th Aldaw Ta Kitangalad, Nobyembre 7-9, 2023, Barangay Capehan, lungsod sa Libona, Bukidnon, sa tema nga “Preserving Water: Sustaining Life, Honoring Heritage”.

Gipasabot ni Bae Inatlawan nga ang Mt. Kitanglad unang gitawag nga “Buntod Ta Lumuluyaw”, nga buot ipasabot, usa ka sagrado nga lugar nga kung maalimahan, anaa diha ang kaluwasan.

Ang maong kabukiran binilin sa katigulangan nga adunay balaod, nga ginganlan ug Palayaga Ha Batasan, Pagunguta Ha Batasan, Kaub ha Binalingan Ha Batasan, Makapundog Lumabunog Ha Batasan, Ug Minamaun Ha Batasan, nga kung dili matuman ug masunod, moagi ang mga katalagman.

“𝐴𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑘𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑎𝑘𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑦 𝑛𝑔𝑎 𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎 𝑠𝑎 𝑘𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑦 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑝𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔-𝑢𝑏𝑎𝑛 𝑑𝑖ℎ𝑎 𝑠𝑎 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑘𝑡𝑎𝑟 𝑢𝑔 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑏𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑎 𝑀𝑡. 𝐾𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑎𝑑 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒, 𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑝 𝑖𝑛𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑑𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑘𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑜𝑛 𝑛𝑔𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑘𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑠𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑎 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑢ℎ𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑎𝑏-𝑜𝑡 𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑎𝑔𝑖 𝑠𝑎 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑦, 𝑎𝑘𝑜 𝑛𝑎𝑘𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑜𝑡 𝑛𝑔𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑖𝑤𝑎 𝑠𝑎 𝑝𝑎𝑔-𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑔𝑠𝑢𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑦, 𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑎 𝑘𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑎 𝑘𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑦 𝑑𝑢𝑦𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑛 𝑠𝑎 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑦𝑎 𝑠𝑎 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝐿𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑤’𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑎𝑘𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑎ℎ𝑢𝑚 𝑜 𝑀𝑎𝑔𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑦𝑎”, mao kini ang gipaabot nga mga panghinaot ni Vice Governor Clive D. Quiño.

Gidugang ni Vice-Governor Quiño kinahangalan hingusgan ang mga programa sa Protected Areas Management Board (PAMB) nga mao ang pagpanalipod sa Kitanglad, pagpadayon pagpa-edukar sa katawhan, padayon nga pag-monitor sa kalasangan ingon man pagdugang sa mohon o demarcation sa protected areas, diin gipanghinaot nga mamahimo kining nominado alang sa United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) nga naila isip ASEAN Heritage Park (AHP).

Mipaabot usab sa mensahe si Benjamin M. Maputi. Sr, ang Kitanglad Guard Volunteer (KGV) Federation President,“Salamat kaayo nga nakasabot na ang tanan ilabi na sa atong mga LGU, sa Province, sa Munisipyo, sa Barangay kay nakasabot na ang tanan nga angayan nga ato gayud protektaran ang Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park kay maoy tinubdan sa hangin, sa maayong panahon sa kabugnaw ilabi na sa 28 ka barangay nga nagpalibot niini, salamat usab sa Ginoo, ang Ginoo ra ang nasayod, kay sa pagsugod sa Kitanglad, naa nako dira gwardiya sa kinaiyahan nga ma-protektran og mapadayonon”.

Ang Mt. Kitanglad Range adunay 380 ka guard volunteers diin gilangkuban sa mga lungsod sa Lantapan, Impasugong, Sumilao, Talakag, Baungon, Manolo Fortich, Libona og syudad sa Malaybalay diin maoy naglibot sa Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park.

Gikoronahan isip Laga ta Kitanglad si Ms. Michelle P. Calupe gikan sa lungsod sa Lantapan ug Maama KGV si Mr. Peter John Paul Ganiahan gikan sa lungsod sa Talakag. (LGU Bukidnon)