IN A bid to revive the nationalism and Filipino spirit among the people of Northern Mindanao, the Ayala Foundation has distributed a total of 555 Philippine flags to public elementary schools in Misamis Oriental last Friday, August 9.
The distribution, held at the Opol National Secondary Technical School in Opol, Misamis Oriental, is anchored on Ayala Foundation’s Maging Magiting Campaign.
Maging Magiting Campaign is an advocacy program that aims to rekindle nationalism and pride in being a Filipino through highlighting the Filipino spirit.
The activity, in partnership with Chooks-to-Go and the Department of Education (DepEd) last Friday, is part of its program --flag campaign-- wherein Philippine flags are distributed to ensure the national symbol is present in places of service, honor and justice.
“Ang ginawa po natin dito ay namahagi po tayo ng watawat. Ang layunin po nito ay una, mapalitan yung mga lumang watawat na ginagamit na sa ating paaralan. Pangalawa, dahl ito ay mahalaga dahil an watawat ay sumisimbolo ng maraming bagay at habang ginagawa natin ito, ginagawa na rin natin ito na okasyon para mapag-usapan ang kahalagahan ng watawat,” said Education Undersecretary Tonisito M.C. Umali, who was present during the activity.
“Iyan ay may kinalaman sa pagiging simbolo ng ating pagiging Pilipino, patriyotismo, pagmamahal sa bayan, ito yung kumakatawan na tayo ay isang bansang malaya na, may kalayaan, at ang pinakamahalaga, magkaroon tayo ng kamalayan na tayo’y isang bansa. Sense of nationhood, na lahat iyan ay makukuha, will be captured by flag as a very important symbol,” he added.
Umali said the activity is important as this will help people, especially the students and teachers, understand that education is not just learning how to do math, science, being fluent in English or having clean and efficient classrooms.
“Ang pagiging mag-aaral po natin ay dapat higit pa diyan. Tayo dapat ay may konsepto ng ating pagiging Pilipino at pagmamahal sa bansang Pilipinas,” Umali said.
“At iyan ang inaasahan natin, bukod sapag-aaral na nangyayari, sa asignaturang Araling Panlipunan, edukasyon sa pagpapakatao na bahagi na ng ating basic education curriculum, sa aktibidad tulad nito, nang pagmamahagi ng watawat bilang simbolo ng ating pagiging malayang bansa,” he added.
Ayala Foundation President Ruel Maranan, for his part, emphasized the importance of having a Philippine flag in schools.
“We believe the nation’s progress will start with love of country. This is why we went back to providing the simple but forgotten presence of what symbolizes our being Filipino: the Philippine flag,” Maranan said.
Around 300 attendees were present at the flag distribution activity, which comprised of school heads, principals, teachers, representatives from government organizations, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, among others.
The Maging Magiting Campaign is a response to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines’ (NHCP’s) claim that there is a gap of 100,000 flags across the country.
The campaign aims to fill the gap through distributing 10,000 flags to public elementary schools, police precincts, and military installations within this year.