Opening Ceremony of Pangantucan and Kaliangan Special Education Schools
December 10, 2024
Opening Ceremony of Pangantucan and Kaliangan Special Education Schools
Day 1 in Mindanao, Philippines
Venerable Pomnyun and the JTS Korea delegation toured the schools built in Mindanao over the past year and held the opening ceremonies for them from December 10 to 14, 2024.
This year, JTS Philippines constructed a total of 10 schools. One of them was located in a very remote area, so the opening ceremony was held in advance, while the remaining 9 school ceremonies were conducted over the 5 days. The group, including Park Ji-na, the JTS Korea representative, Noh Jae-guk, the JTS Philippines representative, writer Kim Hong-shin, and Jungto Society activists from the Philippines, was accompanied by around 20 people during the ceremonies.
Pangantucan Special Education School
A New Beginning for 31 Students with Special Needs
At 2 PM, upon arriving at the Pangantucan Special Education School (SPED), teachers, parents, and students greeted the delegation with cheers and excitement. From the entrance of the school to the newly completed classrooms, the South Korean flag fluttered proudly.
△ The teacher at Pangantucan Special Education School welcoming guests by putting a necklace around their necks.
△ The children welcoming Venerable Pomnyun
They moved to the front of the newly built school and first held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion. Venerable Pomnyun was in the center, and the Korean delegation stood on one side, while the education office officials, county office officials, and military officials stood on the other side. Then they went to the front of the signboard and held an unveiling ceremony.
△ JTS and Philippine officials cutting the ribbon
△ JTS and Philippine officials at the unveiling ceremony
Afterwards, the priest prayed for the school and the students, and then a blessing ceremony was held in each classroom. Venerable Pomnyun and the JTS delegation followed the priest and also gave blessings. Then, the Philippine national anthem and the South Korean national anthem were sung together.
△ Singing the national anthem of the Philippines and the national anthem of South Korea
“The mayor was unable to attend due to another commitment, so the vice mayor delivered a welcome speech to the JTS delegation. After that, JTS Philippines representative No Jae-guk gave a progress report. The Pangantucan Special Education School was requested by the mayor himself during the site visit, asking for the school to be built. It turns out that the mayor was also a former teacher, his wife is a teacher, and his daughter is also a teacher at the Pangantucan Special Education School.”
A total of 31 students with disabilities, including 4 with language disabilities, 2 with cerebral palsy, 2 with hearing impairments, and 4 with attention difficulties, will now study in newly built classrooms. Previously, all lessons were conducted in a single classroom, but now, they will receive tailored education in 3 newly built classrooms, organized by disability type.
Venerable Pomnyun handed over the certificate of completion to the vice mayor. Then, Representative Park Ji-na handed over the keys to the assistant superintendent.
△ Venerable Pomnyun handing the certificate of completion to the vice mayor
△ Representative Park Ji-na handing the keys to the assistant superintendent
Next, Representative No Jae-guk handed over clocks so that one could be placed in each classroom.
△ The principal receiving the clock from JTS Philippines representative No Jae-guk
“The villagers cheered loudly and expressed their joy. A certificate of appreciation was presented to the person who had put in the most effort. Venerable Pomnyun, No Jae-guk, the representatives of JTS Philippines, the military, the education office, and the barangay representatives were each awarded plaques. Following that, signatures were collected on the document that finalized the school construction project.
The students of the Pangantucan Special Education School presented a performance they had diligently practiced. They expressed their joyful and exciting emotions freely through dance and music. Although their movements were somewhat limited due to their disabilities, it was deeply moving to see the students express their emotions freely through dance and music, each according to their own abilities.”
△ The students of Pangantucan Special Education School performing
Every child has the right to receive a timely education.
Venerable Pomnyun stepped forward to give a congratulatory speech, receiving a big round of applause.
△ Venerable Pomnyun delivering the congratulatory speech.
“Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I sincerely congratulate you on the completion ceremony of the Pangantucan Special Education School today. Students, are you happy that the school has been newly built?”
△ Students and parents of the school attending the completion ceremony
“The children answered loudly, ‘Yes!’
‘The reason this school was newly built today is thanks to the Pangantucan mayor who put in a lot of effort. I also want to thank the SPED school principal and teachers. My gratitude goes to the military engineers who built this school. I am especially thankful for the beautiful construction. I also appreciate the attention and support from the Bukidnon provincial education superintendent and the education officials for caring about the students with special needs. I would like to express my gratitude to the Korean JTS supporters for their financial support. Lastly, I thank the representative of JTS Philippines and the activists who worked hard to make sure this project was completed.'”
“Earlier, you saw the children singing and dancing, right? Having a disability does not mean being inferior; it simply means that life can be a bit more difficult. It may be inconvenient to not see or hear properly. Sometimes it can be difficult to move hands and feet as well. These are inconveniences, but they are not inferior or wrong. With a little more training, they can live just like any other person.
That’s why, compared to regular students, there should be better facilities and an educational environment where fewer students can be taught in each classroom. Of course, this may be a greater financial burden. However, every child born into this world has the right to receive a timely education. This is why various organizations have come together, to provide children with disabilities the same opportunity to receive an education as any other child.”
“The fact that classrooms have been built is just the beginning. We must continue to pay attention to this work. These students need more educational materials than general students, and the teachers must also show greater care. Parents, too, need to be more attentive to their children. Let us all work together so that these children can grow up well and lead independent lives. JTS supports children’s education with the belief that every child born into this world should have the opportunity to learn at the right time.”
△ The villagers clapping their hands with joy
The villagers cheered loudly and clapped their hands with joy. After listening to Venerable Pomnyun’s congratulatory speech, many local officials gave their own remarks.
“You have demonstrated a true spirit of cooperation for the welfare of our children. You have given importance to our children with special needs. Now, our children will be able to learn and grow in a more comfortable environment. We will cherish this building and preserve it well for the learners of the next generation.”
– Parent Representative
“The 5th Engineering Battalion will continue to do its utmost to provide this kind of service, just as we have done in this project.”
– Commander of the Engineering Battalion
“Today, our special education students have received a truly beautiful gift. We sincerely thank JTS, the Pangantucan local government, and the Philippine Army! Today, you have shown your love and care for students receiving special education. Words cannot fully express our gratitude for your kindness and generosity. This gratitude comes from the deepest part of our hearts.”
– Assistant Superintendent
“Without JTS, this project would not have been possible. As public officials of our region, our vision is to ensure that no one is left behind. This project perfectly embodies that goal. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank JTS.”
– Deputy Governor
Everyone gathered for a commemorative photo. The children loudly and proudly shouted the name of their village.
△ A group photo taken at the conclusion of the completion ceremony
△ A student taking a commemorative photo with Venerable Pomnyun
Kaliangan Special Education School
A Space Where the Dreams of 80 Children Grow
At 3:30 PM, Venerable Pomnyun and the JTS delegation arrived at the second destination, the Kaliangan Special Education School. The teachers warmly welcomed them by placing necklaces around their necks. They immediately proceeded to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. A long ribbon was prepared so that all the guests could participate in the ceremonial cutting together. “One, two, three!” Afterward, they held the unveiling ceremony and took a commemorative photo.
△ The teachers of Kaliangan Special Education School welcoming Venerable Pomnyun and the JTS delegation by placing necklaces around their necks
△ JTS and Philippine officials participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony
△ JTS and Philippine officials participating in the unveiling ceremony
The students and parents all gathered in the playground. First, both the Philippine national anthem and the South Korean national anthem were sung together. The sound of the “Aegukga” (the South Korean national anthem) resonated in this distant foreign land. Following this, the mayor delivered a welcome speech.
△ The mayor delivering a welcome speech
No Jae-guk, Representative of JTS Philippines, provided a progress report on the construction of the school.
When they first visited, there were 21 students with intellectual disabilities such as ADHD, 10 students with autism spectrum disorder, 5 students with hearing impairment, 1 student with visual impairment, and 43 students with cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities enrolled in the SPED program. These students were using two regular classrooms for their lessons. Due to a shortage of classrooms, one of the rooms was divided with partitions. The teachers mentioned that the number of students with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD was increasing, and they requested larger classrooms and a dedicated SPED classroom to accommodate their needs.
Students from the school gave a celebratory performance. As the music began, the children who came forward each danced freely and joyfully in their own unique way.
△ Students from Kaliangan Special Education School performing a show
Venerable Pomnyun handed over the certificate of completion to the mayor. Next, Director Park Ji-na presented the keys to the assistant superintendent. Then, Director No Jae-guk gave clocks to the principal so that one could be hung in each classroom. The villagers cheered loudly and rejoiced.
△ The Assistant Superintendent receiving the key from JTS Director Park Ji-na
Next, they signed the document marking the completion of the school construction project. Following that, Venerable Pomnyun delivered a congratulatory speech.
A Step Toward Educational Equality
△ Venerable Pomnyun delivering a congratulatory speech
“Today, I sincerely congratulate you on the completion ceremony of Kaliangan Special Education School. Students, are you happy that the new school has been built?”
“Yes!”
The children shouted with joy in response.
△ Students attending the completion ceremony
“Just because a school is built doesn’t mean learning happens automatically. You must listen carefully to your teachers and study hard. I hope that in your new classrooms, you’ll freely pursue what you want to do and what you want to learn.
Having a disability doesn’t mean you are lacking—it just means there are inconveniences. And inconveniences can be overcome if we put in the effort. Students, you’ll need to make an extra effort. Teachers must provide special education tailored to children with special needs. And parents, you also need to care for your children with even greater attention.”
“Today, the building of this school was made possible by the efforts of many people. First, the mayor of Kaliangan and everyone else at the local government put their hearts into supporting this project. Also, the Bukidnon provincial superintendent and staff have been working hard to ensure quality education for children with special needs, and the barangay has also offered significant support. JTS Korea provided financial assistance, and the activists from JTS Philippines have always kept a close eye on the progress of the school to ensure it was built properly.
JTS is not just an organization that provides support; it is an organization that believes in “Join Together.” The construction of the SPED classrooms was possible because we held hands and worked together. The founding spirit of JTS is to make sure that children who have not had the chance to learn can do so, with adults joining hands to make that happen.”
“When we first built the SPED school in Tarlac, most local municipalities didn’t have schools for students with special needs. However, now it seems that the Department of Education has a policy to build at least one SPED school in every region. Following the Department’s policy, we want to support any effort possible so that students with special needs can study without difficulty.
Just having school classrooms is not enough for students with special needs to receive an education. There must be good teachers. Therefore, the Department of Education must work to train many special education teachers. Additionally, educational materials are also essential for students to learn effectively. Let’s join forces to support the provision of these educational materials as well.”
“Today, we have received a beautiful gift. This gift is a school building with five classrooms for SPED students. This project would not have been possible without the cooperation of JTS. I sincerely thank you for coming all the way here from Korea by plane. This building will be of great help to students receiving special education. Thanks to the continued efforts of the Department of Education and the Philippine military, this project has been successfully completed.” – Mayor of Kaliangan
“Kaliangan Central School has received continuous support from our engineering corps, and as you have witnessed today, another building with five classrooms has been completed. JTS provided all the construction materials, and the LGU supported the operational costs, including additional living expenses for our soldiers. The engineering corps will continue to provide such services in the future, just as we have with this project.” – Commander of the Engineering Corps
△ Commander of the Engineering Corps delivering a speech
“I deeply thank JTS and the serving soldiers for their dedication. Your efforts have made a great impact on our school and the lives of our students. We are deeply grateful for your kindness in changing the lives of our children in such a meaningful way.” – Assistant Superintendent
△ Assistant Superintendent delivering a speech
Next, the teachers performed a folk dance. Finally, the vice mayor concluded the ceremony with closing remarks.
△ The teachers’ folk dance performance
“This project is the result of the collaboration between the Join Together Society, the Philippine Engineering Corps, the Department of Education, and the Kaliangan local government. It demonstrates what can be achieved when we work together toward a common goal. This project will not only improve the quality of education for the students but also strengthen the spirit of solidarity and cooperation. I hope that this project will benefit many generations to come. Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated and made this project a reality.”
△ Closing remarks by the Vice-Mayor
As the sun began to set, the completion ceremony came to an end, and everyone gathered in front of the school to plant a commemorative tree. A group photo was taken in front of the newly constructed school building.
“Thank you, JTS! Kaliangan!”
After the photo session, they took a tour around the newly built SPED school building. Since this building is designed for children with special needs, extra care was taken to ensure that the classrooms meet their specific needs, and this attention to detail was evident.
△ JTS and Philippine officials planting a commemorative tree
△ A group photo taken to conclude the completion ceremony
In the evening, the red sunset tinted the classroom windows. Just like the young trees planted in front of the new classrooms, we hope the dreams of the children who will grow here will also grow strong and healthy.
