[et_pb_section background_image=”https://www.rafi.org.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/eddie-copy.jpg” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”off” custom_width_px=”1080px” custom_width_percent=”80%” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” disabled=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_image src=”https://www.rafi.org.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/IAMRAFI-Sarah-Pasion-Cubar.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1px” border_style=”solid” disabled=”off”][/et_pb_fullwidth_image][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” custom_padding=”0||0px|” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”off” custom_width_px=”1080px” custom_width_percent=”80%” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” disabled=”off”][et_pb_fullwidth_header background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” header_fullscreen=”off” header_scroll_down=”off” scroll_down_icon=”;” scroll_down_icon_size=”45px” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” content_orientation=”center” image_orientation=”center” title_font_size=”37px” subhead_font_size=”22px” content_font_size=”30px” custom_button_one=”off” button_one_text_size=”20″ button_one_use_icon=”on” button_one_icon_placement=”right” button_one_on_hover=”on” button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ custom_button_two=”off” button_two_text_size=”20″ button_two_use_icon=”on” button_two_icon_placement=”right” button_two_on_hover=”on” button_two_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ disabled=”off” inline_fonts=”Merriweather”]
IAMRAFI: The Teacher Who Goes Beyond
The Story of Sarah Pasion Cubar, Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual Finalist, RAFI Triennial Awards
By Marco Paulo Trajano Deligero | October 2, 2018
[/et_pb_fullwidth_header][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” custom_padding=”0px|0px|54px|0px” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”off” custom_width_px=”1080px” custom_width_percent=”80%” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” admin_label=”Section” disabled=”off”][et_pb_row make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”off” custom_width_px=”1080px” custom_width_percent=”80%” use_custom_gutter=”off” gutter_width=”3″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|16px|0px” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” make_equal=”off” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”on” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”on” parallax_3=”off” parallax_method_3=”on” parallax_4=”off” parallax_method_4=”on” admin_label=”Row” disabled=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ disabled=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” admin_label=”Text” use_border_color=”off” border_style=”solid” disabled=”off” inline_fonts=”Lato”][/et_pb_text][et_pb_text background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”justified” admin_label=”Text” use_border_color=”off” border_style=”solid” disabled=”off” inline_fonts=”Abel”]
The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) gives honor to all the hardworking and selfless teachers who contribute to nation-building, one child at a time.
And as we continue to celebrate this year’s National Teachers’ Month, here is a story of a dedicated teacher, Sarah Cubar, who goes beyond her duties to provide school buildings in the mountain areas of Kapalong, Davao del Norte mainly populated by indigenous people (IPs).
This dedication eventually led her to become one of the finalists of the recently concluded RAFI Triennial Awards — Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual category last August 31.
Seven Years of Being an Out-of-School Youth
Sarah Cubar, a native of Davao del Norte, spent seven years of her childhood helping her father in his vulcanizing and welding business before becoming the public school district supervisor of Kapalong East District in Davao del Norte. She had no clue as to what the future had in store for her.
In 2016, the Department of Education (DepEd) Kapalong East District division superintendent nominated her to the Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual category, a nomination she first declined because she did not like the limelight or any attention on her advocacy.
The Beginning of Sarah Cubar’s Advocacy
In May of 2015, Sarah was assigned in the Kapalong East District in Davao del Norte, and part of her job was to assess the district in relation to the performance indicators set. She found out during her assessment that there was a huge gap between the participation rate of the school-age children in the community vis-à-vis school-age child enrolled in school.
“There was a huge gap between the two, so I asked, why is this happening? This could only mean that there are many school-age children who are not in school; that there are lots of out-of-school youth,”
“I talked with the different heads of schools, and I let them explain the situation in their schools,” she added.
After the conference, they conducted a research and found out that one particular area, Barangay Gupitan, just one barangay in Kapalong — which is composed of 82 sitios, had a bigger gap in participation: huge number of dropouts and absenteeism because the schoolchildren would not go to the schools anymore for different reasons such as the proximity of their houses to the school and many others. Based on the result of their study, Sarah asked the one question that changed the lives of the IPs and their children: “Can we do something about this?”
This was where she began her advocacy of providing education at the doorstep of the Indigenous People (IPs).
Concrete Plans and Action on Changing Lives of IPs
After conducting a family mapping, they found out that there are so many school-age children who have never been engaged in any form of formal education. They communicated with the tribal leaders to address this problem.
The tribal leaders said that the proximity of the schools to their community was the main problem — the children have to cross rivers and climb mountains. Aggravating the situation was the fact that the children lacked the proper nutrition due to the lack of food and financial resources.
“From that point on, I asked the tribal leaders, ‘can we build school buildings in your area? Would you be willing to donate lots to construct these school buildings?”
The response was positive, and so the project started — the construction of school buildings.
With the help of the tribal leaders, they identified areas where it was safe for them to begin the construction of the school buildings.
Cubar then raised her proposal to the DepEd regional director, for the construction of school buildings in 15 locations/areas. She initially chose at least five (5) areas where they could begin the construction of the school buildings. Her proposal was approved immediately, and by July 2015, the classes for the IP schools began.
Challenge Encountered: More School Buildings to Be Constructed
On December of 2015, five months after the approval of the first 5 schools, the rest of the 10 locations were approved.
“I was shocked and surprised because all our proposals were approved by the DepEd Regional Office. It was quite challenging because we faced some difficulties in the first five (5) schools, and then 10 more were added — we had to start from scratch,”
Knowing that she had to make this project happen, Cubar initially communicated with several key people in the community, the business sector and others stakeholders, to seek for possible support in constructing the school buildings for the children.
Solution: Fun Run for the Construction of School Buildings
With this new responsibility of putting up ten (10) more new school buildings, Cubar had gathered the different school administrators in the district on March of 2016, and luckily one of the school heads suggested to conduct a fun run to raise funds for the construction.
“Yes, we could do that! That is a good idea!”
Embracing the idea, Cubar said that she helped in the fun run campaign, including social media, in order to gather enough resources. She also talked with different people and organizations in order to get the needed support, including the Philippine National Police (PNP), the military and other government agencies.
With less than two (2) weeks of preparation, the fun run turned out to be a success, and they were able to raise more than a million pesos.
During the construction phase, they started with the flagpoles to serve as an identity that the structures were public schools, a safe place for children, and to establish patriotism amongst the children. And on June 4, 2016, all the ten (10) schools started their classes.
“Until now, I still could not believe that we were able to do it, it was a difficult task because we all worked together, and we were able to accomplish it!” Cubar said.
Cubar said that as they opened the schools, social services followed to ensure that the schoolchildren would have access to medical attention, and to control insurgency.
On Being Nominated for the Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual, RAFI Triennial Awards
Humility is one of the characteristics that Cubar is known for. When asked on how she felt being nominated for the Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual, Cubar has this to say:
“Of course, I was very elated, but frankly, we never really thought of getting any recognition for doing what we did, we never wanted to be in the limelight,” Cubar said.
She also said that the IP children were their driving force in the construction of the schools; to give them the attention and education that they deserve.
“And being nominated gave us extra happiness, this is something, being nominated was really something; the experience was really amazing! It’s like a plant being nurtured with extra fertilizer, to help us do more for the community,” she added.
‘Hindi Ko Ito Narating Mag-Isa’
With all these accomplishments, Cubar said that she did not do this alone. Without the assistance, unity and understanding of the school heads, the local government units and the community, this would have never been done.
“My only role was to let them understand the need and then it just started — when the first step was taken, everything else followed, everyone was a team player, I was just a small part of the whole,” Cubar said.
Prior to this recognition, Cubar said that she was given two (2) recognitions by the military in helping neutralize the insurgency in the area, a feat she considers, a ‘driving force to continue,’
“It is lonely at the top, you need to have people with you, you need to succeed together — you could never be successful if you are alone at the top, that will be the start of your downfall,” she added.
Sarah Cubar and on Her Definition of Success and Biggest Life Lessons
On this question, Cubar simple answered, “seeing the smiles on the faces of the IP children,”
Cubar also shared that the oldest kindergarten student that they have is a 37-year-old mother, and she shared that they were even topless women IPs, and she had to gently encourage them to wear proper school uniforms.
On her life lessons, Cubar said that “education really is the road to improving your quality of life,”
A Grade 5 dropout herself, Cubar experienced being out-of-school youth for seven years; she became a welder, vulcanizer, and even a jeepney conductor. She then took the Alternative Learning System (ALS) with her siblings and they passed, and from Grade 5 she moved up into college, and took on a degree in secondary education.
She has six (6) children of her own whom all five (5) are now working professionals, one of her children passed away. She says that she is fulfilled because she was able to support all of them.
What Is Next for Sarah Cubar?
She has finished with the construction of schools in 27 sitios, with 55 more sitios to go.
“I hope that people will duplicate what I do, and create more schools for the IP children, and make it more sustainable because this is an investment for these children,” Cubar said.
“I don’t want our IP children to be shortchanged, for all the effort we have done, we have to have an iron hand; once it is opened, the schools should never be closed, it has to be sustainable,” she said.
Sanitation is also one of the new advocacies that Cubar is pushing, to help maintain good health for the IP children of Kapalong East District.
To the People That Matter to Sarah Cubar
“My deepest gratitude to my ever dearest sister Leslie Pasion Quesada for her moral and financial support, and love during those pressing times when I sent myself to college while I already had 3 children to take care of, thank you very much,”
“I am thankful to all our stakeholders, we have new partners, and I am happy because we were able to help more children through their support,”
“To our school heads, they have helped us a lot; they have always been the wind beneath my wings,”
“I also would like to take this opportunity to thank our mayor, Kapalong Mayor Maria Theresa Timbol, she really gave valuable assistance to us,”
“Also to our DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Davao del Norte Division, Dr. Josephine L. Fadul, because she has always supported us, whatever is good for our children, she is someone who would always push us and say ‘Yes, that is good! Go! Go!’” Cubar said.
“Again, I hope people will duplicate my efforts, and even surpass what I am doing because I don’t want the ‘crab mentality,’ I like pushing people to their limits, and seeing their growth — that is my ultimate happiness!” #IAMRAFI
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code disabled=”off”][/et_pb_code][et_pb_code disabled=”off”][/et_pb_code][et_pb_code disabled=”off”] [/et_pb_code][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”29628,29605,29604,29606,29607,29614,29612,29610,29609,29608,29611,29615,29616,29617,29618,29619,29620,29621,29627,29626,29625,29623,29622″ fullwidth=”on” posts_number=”43″ orientation=”landscape” show_title_and_caption=”off” show_pagination=”on” background_layout=”light” auto=”on” auto_speed=”7000″ use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1px” border_style=”solid” disabled=”off”][/et_pb_gallery][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
