This year’s Teachers’ Day was themed “Kings and Queens of Hollywood”. And indeed, the faculty of Saint Pedro Poveda College got the royal treatment! The morning of October 16, 2009 was unlike any other. The school was bouncing to the tunes of the ‘80s, and teachers were surprised to see their names on individual illustration boards made by their students. These illustration boards dotted the whole school, and resembled the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

            First on the agenda was a sumptuous buffet breakfast sponsored by the PPA. Every tummy was filled to satisfaction! Truly, it was a meal fit for royalty.

 

            A mass, presided by Fr. Godwin Tatlonghari, was held shortly after breakfast. And then came wellness! Different wellness stations—such as massaging, manicure, pedicure, karaoke, and movies—were provided for the teachers, who were all free to go to whichever station they preferred. It was really nice to see all of them relaxing and not worrying about checking papers or attending meetings.

 

            Simultaneously, student volunteers from the high school and college classes took over the different grades and year levels. Instead of having regular classes, the students only had homeroom, IW, and recess. The rest of the time was spent preparing the classrooms for the salu-salo.

 

            Teachers arrived in their classrooms after two hours of wellness. Each class had food set up and a program prepared for their teacher guests. After the students showed their appreciation for their teachers, they cleaned up their classrooms, while the teachers headed to the gym auditorium for the last item on the agenda.

 

            The concert, entitled “Paparazzi”, was a most befitting event to end the teachers’ special day. Ms. Jackie Lou Blanco was kind enough to be the host for that afternoon. Student performers, like the Senior and Junior Hardcourt, Enciende (Hip Hop Team), and Helene Enriquez and Isa Collette, Bea Reyes, Juliana Suarez, and the Dream Girls (Carla Cucueco, Joan Samson and Bini Cruz) brought unending laughs and wide smiles from the teachers. And who could forget our other special guests who made this day much more memorable? Gino Padilla, Rannie Raymundo, Louie Heredia, True Faith, Hale, and Kris Aquino were the stars that made the Kings and Queens of Hollywood regard this day as truly momentous.

 

            This day was truly worth the weeks of planning because we did it for those who deserved every bit of it: OUR BELOVED TEACHERS. Without them, who would be the guiding light, the role models, and the friend to us students? They are the ones who encourage us when no one bothers to. They are the ones who make us realize our potentials, and help us master them. They sacrifice and serve, with smiles on their faces, and intentions coming straight from the heart. And most of all, they are living proofs to this year’s thrust: I chose you and I commissioned you to go and bear fruit.

“…teachers are servants of the Lord God.” -~Abdu’l-Baha