WHEN Melody Adjari passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) in March this year, she was elated not only because this was her second time taking the exam but because she knew she would become more than just a "teacher"; she would become a "model" and a "bridge".
Melody is a member of the Sama Dilaut Tribe, more commonly known as Badjao. Her story does not differ from other members of the "minority groups" in a society where there is bullying, economic struggle, and government and civil society neglect, among others.
When she was studying in elementary, Melody recalled how oftentimes she would ask her mother why other children called her Badjao in a mocking tone.
"'Nganong kantyawan man ko nila'g Badjao 'ma? Unsa diay naa sa Badjao?' Mao na perme nako ipangutana sa akong mama sauna while nagahilak ko ('Why would they mocked my being a Badjao, mom? What's in being a Badjao?' That's what I always asked my mother while I was crying)," she narrated.
She was just glad her support group, including her friends at school who were not members of a tribe, were always on her side, defending her. Melody also has deeper patience with her bully classmates, saying boys are usually the bullies.
Adjari, the daughter of Mastal Bani and Nolita Adjari, said her real struggle was their family's financial incapacity to send her to college as her father's only means of income is by peddling stuff Badjao people are known to peddle, like second-hand shoes, ukay-ukay clothes, and pearls.
After graduating high school, Melody worked various jobs to help her family. However, after around two years of being out of school, she married a Badjao man through an arranged marriage per their custom and tradition.
That's when Melody set aside her dream of graduating from college, and it even worsened when she bore children.
Nganong kantyawan man ko nila'g Badjao 'ma? Unsa diay naa sa Badjao?' Mao na perme nako ipangutana sa akong mama sauna while nagahilak ko ('Why would they mocked my being a Badjao, mom? What's in being a Badjao?' That's what I always asked my mother while I was crying)However, when an opportunity knocked that somebody was willing to sponsor her college studies and upon the proddings of some of the teachers and the principal in the Matina Pangi Elementary School, she readily agreed, seeing the economic struggle of her own family.
Melody revealed that even before, she was already a scholar of Pastor Jun Morales and family, as they were the ones who provided her school supplies and minimal school fees such as for their classroom projects, among others. It is also Pastor Morales' land that they are living in Matina Pangi, since they originally had no land and were only living in their boats.
Matina Pangi is among the areas in Davao City where a Badjao community thrives.
This time around, it is artist and author Angely Chi who sponsored her college studies.
She returned to school when she was already around 30 years old and with two kids. She revealed that she almost stopped her studies when her husband had a major surgery, but fortunately, her husband also saw the importance of her finishing her degree.
"Unang-una, of course, gi-consider nako ang approval ni papa, pero kung wala pud nag-approve akong bana, dili pud gyud ko makapadayon og eskwela (First and foremost, I considered the approval of my father, but if my husband didn't approve of me returning to school, I wouldn't push it through)," Melody shared.
At first take of the LET exam, Melody revealed that she almost passed, getting a 74.6 rating with a passing rate of 75 percent. This didn't lose her courage. In fact, it pushed her to prepare for the next LET exams seriously. This time around, she got a 79 percent rating with the same passing rate of 75 percent.
According to Davao City Schools Division superintendent, Dr. Reynante Solitario, Melody, like any other applicants, went through a rigid hiring process.
"When we hired her, we didn't prioritize her because she is a Badjao but we based our hiring of her on the needs of the school where we will be deploying her. Since Matina Aplaya Elementary School consists of a lot of Badjao students, mga 154 students here are Badjaos, so ideal gyud nga nay Badjao teacher diri (a total of 154 students here are Badjaos, so it's ideal that there is a Badjao teacher here)," Dr. Solitario said.
Dr. Solitario expressed that Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte was very happy upon knowing that the first-ever Badjao has passed the teacher’s licensure exam and is now hired to teach in one of the Davao City schools.
Solitario added having a Badjao teacher in a school where Badjao students abound would not only make her an epitome of success or a dream come true but could also bridge the gap, especially in communication.
He said that with Melody around, face-to-face with Badjao students, she is now becoming a guiding torch for these same students to strive hard and pursue their studies so that they also could become one of their dreams.
Aside from that, Melody's other vital role would be to bridge the communication gap between Badjaos who are in the primary grades, as the Department of Education-Davao (DepEd-Davao) acknowledges that language barriers play a crucial role in the success of children's learning.
"Dako kaayo akong mabuhat sa Badjao nga Grade 1, kay ako magtudlo sa ilaha sa mga pulong Binisaya nga dili pa nila kaayo masabtan (I can do big for Badjao Grade 1 students, since I will be the one who will teach them understand the Visayan words that they could not yet understand)," Melody said.
This was also reiterated by Matina Schools District Supervisor Evangeline Vicencio, who said that no one could understand tribe members better than those who are members of the tribe themselves.
"Kinsa may mutudlo nila sa tamang pagsayaw sa ilang mga sayaw kung dili kato mismong nakabalo sa ilang sayaw, di ba? (Who would teach them the proper steps in dancing their traditional dance than those who know the dance steps, isn't it?)," Vicencio said.
With this, Dr. Allan Farnazo, DepEd-Davao regional director, plans to officially appoint Melody as the DepEd Ambassador to Sama-Dilaut.
"Since she is the first Badjao teacher in Davao City, she plays a crucial role not only for her students but for the DepEd. That is why we at DepEd, will appoint her as an ambassador," Farnazo said. CEA