CULTURE is a way of life. It is said that if you are a teacher, you are also a cultural worker. Anyone who guides people to value who they are and what they can be is a cultural worker. Cultural education is a sustained information program in and out of classrooms that is designed to make Filipinos familiar with Filipino culture.
To be successful, it should be contextualized (meaning based on the everyday context or common life of its target audience). It should always be anchored on the Four Pillars of Education: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, and learning to be.
Silay teachers are blessed because they live and teach in a community where “life is sweet and the past is forever”. In the past, Silay was “Paris of Negros” and now we are the “seat of arts and culture” in Western Visayas. We are gifted with natural and man-made cultural assets.
We can always bring to the attention of our pupils and students the glory that was Silay showing them our heritage houses and museums. Silaynons are proud of our hometown delicacies that have been handed down to us from our grandparents... lumpia ubod, empanada, muscovado-piaya, panara, ibos mais, and many more.
In our shoreline barangay (Balaring), we have seven seafood restaurants that offer you the best array of food coming from the sea. In Patag-Lantawan area, visitors can always enjoy the panoramic scenery while drinking their hot or cold brewed coffee...wow! view, coffee and nature!
Our festivals are all throughout the year: Sto. Nino de Silay (January), Valentine’s carousals (February); Lenten Season observance (April); Santacruzan, Flores de Mayo, Mayflower Festival (May); Charter Day/Kansilay Festival, Kaon Ta! (June); San Roque Fiesta (August); Tourism Month Celebration (September); Cinco de Noviembre Commemoration, Kaon Ta II!, San Diego Fiesta (November); and Christmas Village Fiesta (December).
Our students, pupils and the communities are always updated with all our cultural celebrations because teachers are not just classroom educators. They are also cultural workers and they take pride being Silaynons. (Genalin Diaz-Biboso, Principal I, Don Homero H. Tanpinco Elem. School)