Campus: UM teacher recognized

AN ALUMNA of the College of Teacher Education of the University of Mindanao (UM) was recognized in February for her exemplary services to underprivileged students by the Gawad Geny Lopez Jr. Bayaning Pilipino Awards.

Benjelyn Batao, who used to work at the College of Teacher Education, earned the Bayaning Guro National 2015 handed last February 2, 2016 at the Dolphy Theater, ABS- CBN Compound in Quezon City. She is now with the Department of Education as a teacher for Grade 6 students in Kapalong, Davao del Norte.

According to criteria, the award is handed to educators who "went the extra mile in serving underprivileged learners", and since its inception in 1994, last year's awards was also the first time it went on a global search for exemplary Filipinos. On the online newsletter of the Lopez Group of Companies, the Gawad awardees must have impacted their communities in any of these fields: measurable impact, scope and number of beneficiaries with known effective results; highlighted the value of unity, or the effective elimination of jealousy, envy, negative criticism, or has effectively dealt with these either through interventions or through innovative methods; focused on service and/or an issue (poverty, health, education, etc) as felt either in their respective country or in the Philippines; transcended regionalism/parochialism; participatory/people-oriented leadership (as shown in the manner of how they choose their leaders and their acceptance thereof); and has promoted Filipino values and culture and Filipino heritage.

The University of Mindanao prides itself in the achievements of its alumni, as their contributions to the community and the nation reflect the aspirations the school was built upon: not only providing education for the people of Mindanao, but building a better community.