As Educational Service Contracting (ESC) participating school, Marcelo Spinola School once again had to undergo a recertification, where the representatives from the Philippine Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) would assess the extent of compliance of the school with the Department of Education (DepEd) minimum standards and would evaluate if we are upgrading the quality of education we offer. This means that if we will meet the standards set, the school will continue to enjoy the government’s educational assistance both for our teachers and students.
With the desire to continue our mission of announcing the personal love of God through the task of education, the school not only works hard to give the kind of education that responds to the challenges of the mission, but also strives to give our best effort so that many recipients especially those who are poor will have access to the education we offer, thus will experience God’s love. In relation to this, the whole school community, together as one family put tears, sweat and blood into this most awaited event- the recertification. Two weeks before the recertification day, we made the school our home, where we worked until dawn, eat and even where we take a bath just to finish all the preparations.
We could say that it was really an experience of passion, suffering, but a suffering with significance- everything for our learners, for another 3 or 5 years of ESC monetary assistance. When March 12, 2020 came, we were like one body, one heart and one soul even with those not in the school on that day, Sisters from different communities, parents, teachers, alumni who also desired that those who will be next in line will still enjoy the scholarship and Marcelo Spinola School’s very personal way of educating.
After the passion and death, though we are still in Lenten Season, we experienced the joy of the resurrection. With the feedbacks of those who visited us, we can say that with the help of God, Marcelo Spinola School will continue its mission, will continue to offer the education that our Founders dreamt especially to the most vulnerable, the poor.
March 12, 2020 is a day of victory, a day of joy, of thanksgiving, of resurrection; all of this is for the glory of the Heart of Jesus. We, the Sisters, who in our vulnerabilities were entrusted with the mission to form the hearts and the minds of the learners, are very grateful to our educators who embraced our charism and whose love for the mission was very evident that day. Thank You Lord God, thank you Marcelo and Celia, thank you silent workers, thank you students, thank you family!
Elmor Balnig, adc
Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay