“Para sa (mga) bata, at para sa bayan.”
This is what teacher Benjar Ferrer of Galarin Elementary School in Urbiztondo, Pangasinan believes about his being fully vaccinated against COVID. He understands the importance of teachers being bakunado, especially with the gradual roll-out of face-to-face classes. He adds, “Libre naman magpabakuna. Pumunta ka lang sa vaccination center.”
Teacher Robert Baluyot of Alabel National High School in Alabel, Saranggani admits that there is still some vaccine hesitancy from his colleagues. Some of the reasons are or stem from “(the kind of) knowledge and information sources my co-teachers access, experience (or lack of) with vaccine-preventable diseases, the role of health professional recommendations, social norms, parental responsibility, trust, and religious beliefs.”
The Department of Education’s (DepEd) “Vacc2School” campaign seeks to address these concerns through proper awareness and information on getting protected with the vaccine. Another is through positive reinforcement, encouraging teachers to get their shot(s) by incentivizing them.
In December 2021, City Savings Bank, Inc. (CitySavings) joined DepEd in promoting vaccination among teachers through the “Masayang Pamasko 2021 Raffle Promo”. All teaching and non-teaching staff who applied and qualified for a Teachers’ Salary Loan with the Bank and presented their vaccination cards or certificates were automatically included in the raffle for a cash prize of PHP 2,000.
For the whole month, there were 234 winners in total from all over the country, which made many teachers doubly delighted last Christmas, including Albien Arayan of Tagbina, Surigao del Sur who said:
“Thank you, CitySavings! Simple is good indeed!”
Charity and generosity also resonated for winners like Carlo Masangcay of Northern Naguilian National High School in La Union.
“Inilaan ko ang kalahati ng aking napanalunan sa Noche Buena package para sa napili kong mag-aaral sa aking advisory class. Ang kalahati naman, ibinigay ko sa aking Nanay. Konti man kung tutuusin, pero ang tuwa nito sa kanila ay hindi matatawaran ng anumang halaga,” he related.
As talks begin on further expanding face-to-face classes, being fully vaccinated is just one more step in making sure this will be done safely and in compliance with strict health standards. With the right kind of encouragement and reinforcement, we are reassured that our teachers can slowly recover and even improve the state of the country’s educational system “para sa mga bata at para sa bayan”.
