Bangsamoro Member of Parliament and Deputy Floor Leader Atty. Raissa H. Jajurie delivered a message of commendation and recognition in the Fourth Regular Session on April 22, 2025, for the service of the UP Gurong Pahinungod in the BARMM.
UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao, Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Mindanao Director Michael Gatela, and officials of the Second Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament witnessed the delivery of the message.
After delivering her opening salutations, MP Jajurie said, “This is not a commendation for a topnotcher in a licensure examination or a placer in a sports or academic contest, or a cum laude or a valedictorian in a graduation ceremony. This is a commendation for volunteer service by graduates of the University of the Philippines.”
She informed the parliamentarians that the Gurong Pahinungod (GP) are UP graduates who volunteer to undergo training in pedagogy and are deployed to teach basic education for ten months in underserved public schools in different parts of the Philippines. Her commendation was occasioned by the completion by seven GP volunteers who recently completed their deployment in BARMM.
“Last week was the last teaching duty for the four GPs assigned to teach at Kabasalan High School in Barangay Kabasalan, Municipality of Liguasan, Special Geographic Area,” she said.
She named the GPs deployed to Kabasalan High School, namely, Dwight Gasapo from Koronadal City, Aliya Macapundag, a Tausug Maranao from Quezon City, Jo Angela Ballener from Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, and Julienne Bacagan from the Cordilleras. Also from the same batch, GPs Reynald Dyson, Samaira Guro, and Terrence Masidon were deployed to South Upi National High School, Maguindanao del Sur. “All are graduates from either UP Diliman, UP Mindanao, and UP Baguio,” she said.
“These young adults in their early 20s are what we call mga Iskolar ng Bayan. Volunteering was their way of paying back the scholarship they enjoyed,” she said.
“They selflessly accepted the challenge of living and working in underserved communities that needed more teachers in schools that are remote, have few resources, and have challenges in terms of peace and order and natural disasters,” she said.
She reported that the Gurong Pahinungod volunteers helped the lone teacher of Kabasalan High School with its 350 students in Grades 7, 8, 9, and 10 to have access to quality education. In addition, she said the GPs themselves learned from their students, their community women, the elders, and the community about the Bangsamoro history and its struggles. Also, the GPs learned to use available resources, live simply, and some basics of interpersonal relationships.
“I want to thank the UP partners who served and worked on the GP program, specifically Dr. Therese Bustos, the UP System Director of Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, and Mr. Michael Gatela, Director of Ugnayan ng Pahinungod in UP Mindanao,” she said.
“As the GPs end their stint as volunteers in our community, we thank them for helping us break down the walls of prejudice and for building bridges that highlight the humanity that we share with all Filipinos across the nation. Salamat, Dwight, Alia, Jo, Julienne, Reynald, Samaira, and Terrence,” she said.
(Images from MP Raissa Jajurie and Bangsamoro Parliament webcast)
