Department of Education Region X gets ready to implement Homeroom Guidance in School Year 2017-2018

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DEPED ROX’S WAY OF GETTING READY
FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Every year in the month of May in the Philippines, public schools all over the country get ready
for the opening of the new School Year in June in what the Department of Education calls the
National Schools Maintenance Week or Brigada Eskwela. To those who have heard this for the
first time, Brigada Eskwela is that week-long event where all stakeholders of education in the
community work hand in hand to ensure that school facilities are ready for Day 1 of the new
School Year in June.
DepEd Region-X, however, is aiming not only for preparedness in the schools’ physical facilities
but the students’ learning materials as well. For this reason, the Regional Office pushed for the
refinement and finalization of the Lesson Guides in RHGP so that all Homeroom Guidance
Teachers in Region X will have teaching materials to use for the entire School Year. That’s
correct – not for one day, not for one quarter but for the entire School Year.
The writers of Lesson Guides in Homeroom Guidance: Registered Guidance Counselors and Career Advocates of DepEd
Region X together with their Education Program Supervisors in Values Education and Regional Education Program Supervisor
in EsP, Ms. Rosita Yburan (seated, 3
rd
from right)

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For two days, Registered Guidance Counselors and Career Advocates from all Divisions in
Region X together with their Education Program Supervisors in EsP (Edukasyon sa
Pagpapakatao or Values Education) gathered again at the National Educators’ Academy of the
Philippines (NEAP) in Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro for the finalization of Lesson Guides in
Homeroom Guidance. The same team met in this very same place about five months ago for
the initial crafting of the Lesson Guides but there was so much room for improvement, and so to
close the gap DepEd Regional Office X, under the exceptional leadership of Regional Director
Allan G. Farnazo, summoned the team once again.
MESSAGE FROM OUR LEADERS
Every visit to NEAP is a wonderful opportunity for every educator to serve but what makes it
even more special is the chance to get inspired and taught by our highly competent leaders in
the Region.
Bits of Inspiration from Dr. Usman
DepEd Region X CLMD Chief, Dr. Shambaeh Usman, addressed the writers on Day 1 of the finalization of the Lesson Guides.

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Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD) Chief, Dr. Shambaeh Usman never fails
to fan the embers of creativity, industry and patriotism in her audience. On April 27, 2017, Day 1
of the workshop, she graced us with her presence and delivered another outstanding address to
the writers. While the Revitalized Homeroom Guidance Program is not new, the Department
saw the need for further revitalization to integrate it to the Kto12 Curriculum and the current
reality of the Filipino youth. Dr. Usman emphasized the point she recently shared with fellow
educators in the Region. As CLMD Chief, she said she always goes for the consistency of the
head, heart and hand and she encourages everyone to share the same sentiments. As we
strive for academic excellence and fill our students’ heads with knowledge, we must also strike
a balance between filling their hearts with love, kindness and compassion, and guiding their
hands in the skilful pursuit of productivity and creativity so they learn to steer away from
idleness.
“Idleness among children, as among men, is the source of all evil, and leads to no other
evil more certain than ill temper.” – Hannah More
Biggest Take-Away from the Regional Director
Of course what is a visit to NEAP without hearing from DepEd Regional Office X Director Allan
G. Farnazo. The Director was in Antique for the Palarong Pambansa that week but that did not
stop him from delivering his message to the writers of the Lesson Guide in RHGP.
We were all done and ready to begin the Closing Program when everything suddenly went dark
and quiet in the hall, you could hear a pin a drop. We lost power. That did not stop us from
going on with the ceremonious closing though. Regional Education Program Supervisor in EsP,
Rosita Yburan, called the Director and put him on loud speaker for everyone in the hall to hear.
The Director happens to have both a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling and a soft
spot for the Filipino children, and so in his message to the creators of the Lesson Guides in
Homeroom Guidance that afternoon he pointed out the Filipino values he hopes to see
strengthened in the children as well as the life skills they ought to learn from the lesson guides
prepared for them. One particular skill he mentioned that I believe drove home the point of it all

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is self-mastery. After all, the RHGP as a program, always sought to develop the student
holistically to prepare him for his role in the family, the world of work and the community.
Lorenza Pilar Salvador of DepEd Bukidnon Division presented before the group the Lesson Guide in
Homeroom Guidance for Grade 2
The two action-packed days – and nights, because most of us hardly slept at all – were days
well spent at NEAP. Ms. Yburan had no intention at all of sending us home without a finished,
polished and ready-to-use product for K to 11 students of Region X. With her to guide us in
those two days was Regional Learning Resources Management and Development System
(LRMDS) Manager, Ms. Mala Epra Magnaong, whose expertise helped us a lot in putting up
together educationally sound and top quality materials.