Bayan Ko, Titser Ko

The Bayan Ko, Titser Ko (BKTK) program, jointly led by the FEU Alumni Foundation and the Nicanor Reyes Memorial Foundation (NRMF) in partnership with the Angat Buhay Foundation, recently launched its first phase—the BKTK Facilitation Training. Designed to empower pre-service teachers to make a meaningful impact beyond the classroom, the initiative draws the support of the Far Eastern University Institute of Education (FEU-IE), which is leading the recruitment of volunteer tutors. The training was spearheaded by Matthew Volante from NRMF and Desiree Bañares, a volunteer trainer and assessor from the General Education Department, who guided participants through the BKTK implementation process and led an interactive simulation of community participation. Mark Ian B. Magallano facilitated a session on innovative teaching approaches, highlighting fun, collaboration, and creativity as essential tools for learner engagement.

“I think one of the most significant impacts of BKTK is the on-ground and relevant experiences it opens for our aspiring teachers. [Volante] always emphasizes that his intention with NRMF and future partnerships is to promote service learning in Tamaraws, wherein local and extended communities become active components of the students' experiences and curricula,” said Bañares. 

Bañares added that the volunteers were given the opportunity to apply their learnings and ideas beyond the confines of their own classrooms and toward the reality of emerging learners in the Philippines.

“As some would say, experience is the best teacher. You never really know how much patience, empathy, and skill you have until you are put in a situation where you must show them,“ she said.

IE faculty Ian Magallano, Samantha Fabellon, together with Desiree Bañares and the rest of the aspiring future teachers during the facilitation training of BKTK. Institute of Education

Over 20 pre-service teacher volunteers from FEU-IE joined the training, supported by faculty mentors Samantha Fabellon, Angelica Alano, and Nestor Santos Jr.

“As mentioned by [Bañares, BKTK] is the flagship literacy intervention program of Angat Buhay Foundation. For its pilot implementation in [Manila, Angat Buhay partnered with NRMF and FEU Alumni Foundation],” said Volante. “We're likewise fortunate to have the support of the IE Undergraduate Department to mobilize their students and faculty members as volunteer tutors of the program.”