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Did you know that SPED (Special Education) was authored by one of
the first Mapa High Blue Falcon awardees, Dr. Matilde
Martin-Valdes , and was first conducted in Mapa High School? Dr. Valdes single-handedly designed the curricula, syllabi and
bibliographies for 40 SPED courses including those on giftedness and
creativity at the masters and certificate degree levels and the
organization, administration and supervision of SPED programs.
She was instrumental in the enactment of R.A. 5250 passed in 1968
which provided for a 10-year scholarship program for SPED teachers
and administrators all over the country. Her pioneering
efforts resulted in the organization of SPED
programs and services including those for the
gifted and the mentally challenged in Asia.
The downside is that after two years of
experience here, SPED teachers leave for gainful employment abroad
educating and developing gifted and mentally challenge students
instead of helping our own. This is how we deprive our country
and ourselves with the talents for becoming a better country with a
robust economy. When these special students grow up they are
undereducated and become a burden to their family instead of growing
up as fully contributing members of our society.
We are not looking far, we want immediate
gratification from OFW remittances. Maybe, we need to make
more babies who will become our future OFWs. Sad thoughts.
On a happy note, congratulations to the 11
intrepid Blue Falcon Awardees of V. Mapa High School at its
Homecoming and Grand Reunion last Sunday at Wack-Wack Golf &
Country Club.
The 2008 awardees are:
• Paciencia Villalon-Cruz (Class ’35)
for education. Besides being a teacher, Ms. Cruz is also a textbook
writer for social studies, feature writer and contributor to various
publications.
• Democrito Yambao Caparas (Class ’57) for
diplomatic media. Ambassador Caparas started as a diplomatic editor
of The Manila Times; is publisher-editor of the “Ambassador
Journal”; established the Malacañang Reference, information
kit for Diplomatic Posts.
• Dr. Zenaida Racasa-Alijas (’58) for
humanitarian services. She initiated the flu vaccination for
Filipino-American senior citizens as well as the uninsured,
disenfranchised members of the community in Texas. She
volunteered on several medical missions to the Philippines and
embarked on various fund raising activities for the construction of
a community center in Gawad-Kalinga projects in Camarines Sur.
• Dr. Paulino D. Sambat (’58) for medicine.
He has received various awards from various organizations in the USA
where he has his practice. He funded the construction of deep
wells in Pampanga and Taguig City through the Gawad Kalinga Program.
• Emmanuel L. Osorio (’59) for community
service. He has been involved in peace negotiations for
Muslims to return to the fold of the law in Lanao, Maguindanao,
Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. He initiated the planting of
Tuba-tuba to promote clean air along highways, riverbanks and
boundaries. Presently he coordinates with farmers of Toledo
City for replanting of coconuts and cacao and with seaweed farmers
and fishing operators to help uplift their living conditions.
• Victor A. Alisangco (’58) for aviation
technology. He initiated the centralization of flight dispatch
from Manila, flight planning procedures for efficient fuel
management, restructuring of technical stops of trans-Pacific
flights among others.
• Dr. Victor T. Valbuena (’63) for mass
communication. He wrote the book “Philippine Theater Arts
and Development Communication.” He was honored by the
Government of Singapore for outstanding contribution to education
and teaching and by Centro Escolar University for outstanding
achievement in teaching Mass Communication.
• This writer (’64) for management
consultancy.
• Rear Admiral Edgardo M. Israel (64) for
naval service.
While in active duty, he received
numerous medals and ribbons among them the Bintang Yudha Dharma
Nararya from the President of Indonesia. We were both in
Section 1 from 2nd to 4th year.
• Dr. Jose Hermes M. Abante (’71) for
theology. He holds several distinctions and positions for
preaching and spreading the Good News of God under the Bible Baptist
Church in USA, Canada and here.
• Demetrio D. Posadas (’71) for
entrepreneurship. He is one of the prime movers of socialized
housing in the Philippines.
The Blue Falcon Award was given starting 1983
and to date there has only been a total of 232 awardees out of
millions of graduates of Mapa (formerly Manila East) High.
It is indeed a big honor to be one of the recipients of this
singular award.
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innovationcamp@yahoo.com;
www.learningandinnovation.com
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