A TEACHER ABROAD: A STORY OF A 32-YEAR-OLD SCIENCE TEACHER WHO

AVAILED THE “SA ‘PINAS, IKAW ANG MA’AM/SIR” PROGRAM

      The resolve to sustain the financial needs of her family was one of the main reasons why Ms.
Marizon C. Ortega, a 32-year-old Science Teacher considered work abroad as an option.  Life
was hard for her family in Zamboanga City back then.  Apart from taking care of her husband
and children, she was the breadwinner of her sick father who needed medical attention and
provided the educational support of her siblings. With the meager financial resource, she decided
to resign from her Php 8,000 a month teaching job at Tagbao National High School, a public
school located in the mountainous area in Cebu City, to pursue an overseas job.   

There was an offer for her to teach abroad.  On August 27, 2008, a day after her birthday,
her aspiration to work overseas came into fruition.  Despite of her apprehension to teach abroad
due to the possibility of uncooperative students, she grabbed the opportunity and brought her
three-year experience as a high school Science Teacher in the Philippines to the Ulaan Baatar
Elite International School, in Mongolia, a school administered by Turkish Nationals.

She taught as a Science Teacher and acted as Head of Science Department and
Coordinator of the Science Olympiad for the span of seven (7) years which allowed her to
receive a monthly salary of eight hundred (800) US dollar plus overtime at eight (8) dollars per
hour and tutorials.  The experience made her realize what it feels to teach outside the Philippines.

            It came to pass that in 2014, Ms. Ortega had to decide on the future of her teaching career
overseas.  Faced with the near completion of her work contract and an opportunity for renewal
for another three (3) years, she was in the midst of deliberating, once and for all, whether to
continue her teaching stint abroad or to return back to the country for good. In her own words
she revealed her decision.

            “During that time, I have made up my mind to return back to the Philippines. It was the
last year of my contract and I did not intend to renew for another three years since I really
wanted to go home. My husband convinced me to go home since that time he was also applying
to work abroad as a seaman. We were faced with the scenario that if both of us will work abroad,
what will happen to our children? My husband argued and told me about the importance of
money or family?  We thought that family was more important.”

            Ms. Ortega made up her mind to return back to the Philippines having realized that she
had successfully sent her siblings to school for them to graduate. She also had to compensate for
her presence to provide the time, company and guidance of her children.  She felt her family life
was not normal anymore due to the distance, since for many years she was away from her
husband and their children.
 Amidst the uncertainties and fear of going back to the Philippines without a job, she
applied online for a teaching position and sent her applications in several educational institutions
in the Philippines.  Then, on September 2014, she came across an article online about the“Sa
Pinas Ikaw ang Ma’am/Sir” program for OFW LET passers of the National Reintegration Center
for OFWs (NRCO), which she inquired thru the Department of Education (DepEd). 

In December 2014, she received the needed information on how to apply the program. By
January 2015, hoping to become an availee of the program, she applied online by filling up the
survey form.

Her online application bore its fruits upon her return to the Philippines in June 2015, and
in her own words she said: “I got the news that I was part of the program. During that time I was
at the airport in Manila for my domestic flight bound for Zamboanga City. It was around the
afternoon that I got hold of the list provided by the National Reintegration Center for OFWs
(NRCO) thru Facebook. Ms. Jennifer Cunanan of NRCO called me up for instructions and I was
really very happy. I was thinking that after I will arrive in Zamboanga, the following day I will
visit the DepED district office relative to my inclusion in the program. It’s really timely.”

             At present, Ms. Ortega is working as a regular Science Teacher and a Human Resource
Designate at the Zamboanga City National High School West, Zamboanga City.  She thought of
her experience overseas and this is what she has to share:

            “Financially, it’s much ok abroad. But, you know, family is more important especially
the relationship.  Now, I have the opportunity to guide my kids, and I can  do the role as a mom,
which I was not able to do…And then I can now attend to the needs of my husband when he
arrives and my bonding with my kids and husband become more stronger.  The emotional and
psychological part becomes stronger,” she said.

She has a message to her fellow OFW LET passers. “Being an OFW is a very tough job. 
I know it, because I have experienced being one for a long time.  You are not just affected
because of distance but you also fear for your safety.  The only shield that you have is your
prayers and faith to the Almighty God that everything will be in the right place.  So just be very
strong always and look at the brighter side of life.”

Sa ‘Pinas Ikaw ang Ma’am/Sir’ is a program of the NRCO which aims to re-direct OFW-
teachers to pursue or resume their teaching careers in the Philippines.

Launched in the last quarter of 2014, it is a pioneering convergence project of the DOLE,
Department of Education, Professional Regulations Commission, and other relevant government
agencies and seeks to provide licensed teachers who are working abroad as domestic workers or
in non-teaching occupations to return to the Philippines to teach.
 The teacher that I interviewed The teacher that I interviewed
is Mr. Vergel Itim from Saint Joseph is Mrs. Charline Antoque from Rizal
Institute of Technology. The National High School.
university prepared him to become a
As a teacher, she is satisfied
good teacher in the future by/through
because she is happy seeing her
immersion, trainings and seminars. He
students applied what they learned
passed the Licensure Examinations for
and reach their dreams. The things
Teachers (LET) on September 2017
that makes her happy as a
and got 85.00 passing rate. He starts
professional teacher is that teaching
teaching as a professional on June
her students particularly and what her
2018.
sad is that making reports which is
What makes him happy is that, not part of her job but she is doing it
he can see that his students are well and enjoying it well as well. The
learning from him. He can see that his most unforgettable experience she
students are successful in their life. had as a teacher is when her students
What makes him disappoint is that, if showed interest in the topic given and
he does something and his students do her former students still remember
not appreciate his lesson and they are her as their best teacher. My future
not interested of what he is teaching. plans for my professional
He is actively participating in development is that to improve my
Professional Trainings and Seminars. skills and teaching strategies, update
As a professional teacher, he is strictly myself with new technologies and
following the Magna Carta of a public techniques in teaching. She sees
servant particularly adhering the 10 herself as a retiree as professional
responsibilities of a teacher. Before he teacher because she loves teaching
retires in the service his dream is to but she will look for a part time job
become a fulfilled teacher. that will provide her needs.

Mr. Vergel Itim Mr. Severiano Casil

Mrs. Charline
Antoque

Mrs. Emelyn Buling

 Mrs. Emelyn Buling, a teacher The teacher that I
Mrs. Fe Rodriguez
from Rizal National High School is interviewed is Mrs. Fe Rodriguez.
satisfied to her profession. The things Since she was still a child, she
that she does always as a mentor are: dreamed of being a teacher and
sharing her knowledge and skills for being in the field is a fulfillment so
her learners and guiding them to be a she is satisfied with her job. The
good citizen in the future. She is sad things that makes her happy is when
sometimes, when there are some her students improve well in her
learners doesn’t doing their assigned class and what makes her sad is
task. She mentors younger teachers, when her students are not
just to show herself to them as a good cooperating and cannot learn easily.
example of being dedicated teacher. The most unforgettable she
As she looks at himself in any experienced she had when she got
younger years, she compares herself pregnant where she can’t hand le her
to his mentees that they are more anger to the extent that she broke a
enthusiastic and interested to her meter stick in the lap of her students.
profession. She received a Certificate
of Commendation for Exemplary and As of now, she earned her
Comparable Services develop complete academic requirements and
rendered at RNHS. She also planned for possible reclassification of her
to be promoted in higher position. position. She is not yet promoted in
And he will retire in teaching her job but she is working for it.
profession with higher position.
 As a retired professional teacher,
Mr. Severiano Casil still continues
teaching in college, teaching in college for
all. Aside from college teaching he also do
church services as a Eucharistic minister
bringing the world of God every Sunday.
He finds teaching experience memorable
with significant experiences as Division
and regional trainer and service training
workshop and other and to see most of his
students in college are now teacher and
some are qualifying some leadership in
school. He taught as professional for 31
years with no regrets. He enjoyed teaching
that up to present time he stills a classroom
teacher. Some of his major contributions in
teaching were, training for the teachers to
become professional, conducting review
classes for LET exams.

Mr. Casil started as a classroom

teacher the promoted to Head Teacher to
principal 1 to principal 2 to district
supervisor until education supervisor in the
Division of Albay with benefits including
high salary and social standing.

He considers teaching of all

professions as the greatest. All other
professions pass through the hands of a
teacher, meaning, all other profession have
undergone to the training of a humble
teacher.

As a young future teacher, he

shared with us his motto in life that is “To
take the rope less travelled by” that would
make a difference in life.