IF you come across indigenous people boarding jeepneys or buses to beg for change with an improvised musical instrument, chances are you’ve encountered a Sama Badjao or Badjao. In the Philippines this ethnic group originated from Zamboanga City and Jolo, Sulu. Due to the unstable peace and order in their places, many migrated to the different parts of the country, and even to as far as our neighboring countries in Malaysia and Indonesia.

In recent years, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) created intervention programs for the Badjaos, brought them to Central Luzon and, in cooperation with different local government units, signed an agreement to respect the culture and traditions of these people.

One school in Cabanatuan City which welcomed the Badjaos with open arms is the Bakod Bayan Elementary School (BBES).

“Our city government, through the mayor’s office, responded to their urgent concerns, such as permanent places to stay and provision of livelihood, keeping in mind their unique culture and tradition. There are almost 100 families relocated here in Bakod Bayan,” BBES Principal Trinidad G. Beltran said.

“On our part in education, we see to it that we will be a part of this program of the DSWD and our local government. We accepted the Badjao children, although they lack the basic requirements, like their birth certificate. It was really hard at first. Our teachers and their classmates have to adjust to them so they will not feel discriminated. Most of them are overaged for the grade level they are in,” Beltran added.

“Through the help of their teachers, little by little, they learn how to cope with the new changes in their lives. We currently have 59 Badjao students who are now active and participative in all activities in and out of the classrooms. In fact, some of them are among the top 10 in their classes, specifically in Grades 3 and 4. Others even excel in sports,” Beltran said.

The BBES has its share of colorful history. In 1942 the school of Bakod Bayan was made of bamboo and nipa, and it was formerly called Bakod Bayan Barrio School, with two teachers teaching in Grades I and II. Every year the number of pupils in the barangay kept on increasing and for such reason, teachers, grade levels and classrooms were added, until all grade levels were completed to six and the school became a complete elementary school in 1967.

Beltran said it was a kindhearted man named Rufino Halili who donated the school lot, which occupies 10,000 square meters, set in a 1-hectare lot area.

Today the BBES has 10 school buildings catering to the 1,200 pupils (including the Badjaos), a 300-square-meter playground, covered court, stage, Hekasi park, Rizal park, playground, Math park and Science park, and a wide area of vegetable gardens. It has 23 teachers in the elementary level, two Kindergarten teachers and three utility workers.

Beltran said she was assigned as principal for the BBES on May 25, 2015. Despite its large area and airy environment, she said she wasn’t happy with the current state of the school having “17 usable, though dilapidated, classrooms.” Upon assumption as school principal, she said, she has been praying for God’s blessings for new classrooms, while silently calling in for support from public and private sectors.

“I wanted new classrooms or repair of the existing ones, so our students would be safe and comfortable. My prayers were answered, when representatives from the SM Foundation Inc. [SMFI] visited our school last December and informed us that they will donate a fully furnished, two-story building with four classrooms,” she said.

SM Prime, through the SMFI’s School Building Program, turned over the new school building to BBES on March 21. It comes with 200 armchairs, 4 blackboards, 16 wall fans, 4 wall clocks and 4 toilets.

The SMFI was founded by mall magnate Henry Sy  Sr. and his wife, Felicidad T. Sy, in 1983, with the aim to help the less fortunate in places where SM does business. Through the foundation, the SM Group of Companies has been able to help in various communities throughout the country.

“It’s a holistic approach. SMFI has been supporting education, through college and technical-vocational scholarship programs and donation of public-school buildings; in health, through medical missions and construction of wellness and health centers; in community development, through various livelihood trainings, greening projects, spiritual development and immediate disaster response/initiatives; and in the care for the environment; and for persons with special needs, like those with disabilities, children, nursing mothers, the elderly and the overseas Filipino workers, among others,” SMFI Executive Director Linda Atayde said.

“This is the 72nd school building donated by SMFI and like all other donated buildings, we shall regularly maintain it by repair or renovation after every five years. The foundation believes that education is a person’s strongest weapon against poverty, and we shall continue to invest in its education programs to empower the youth in creating more self-sustainable communities in the future. This year we would also be donating school buildings to the cities of Tacloban, Baguio and Cebu,” Atayde said.  Leony R. Garcia.