The BES Pen

𝐒𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚:
𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧 𝟒, 𝐈𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐬𝐚 𝐦𝐠𝐚 𝐊𝐮𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐚𝐧

Inilulunsad ang Handumanan Vol IV, ang bagong limbag ng opisyal na pahayagang pampaaralan ng Balantang Elementary School na ganap na binuo ng mga mag-aaral. Tampok sa nasabing edisyon ang samu’t saring artikulo na sumasalamin sa mga karanasan, tagumpay, at hamon ng komunidad ng paaralan.

Ang aming tema na “Metamorphosis” ay sumasalamin sa kagandahan ng pagbabago—mula sa payak na simula tungo sa makulay at makabuluhang paglipad. 🦋 Tulad ng isang paru-paro, ang bawat pahina ng aming pahayagang pampaaralan ay bunga ng pagsisikap, paghubog, at patuloy na pag-unlad.

Sa bawat kwento, balita, at tinig ng mag-aaral, patuloy kaming lumilipad, nagbabago, at nagbibigay-liwanag sa aming paaralan. Dahil ang tunay na pagbabago ay nagsisimula sa isang ideya—at ito’y isinusulat, ipinapahayag, at pinapalaganap sa pamamagitan ng aming school paper. ✨

Pinag-isa sa publikasyong ito ang mga balita, lathalain, editoryal at akdang pampanitikan na isinulat naming mga mag-aaral, na nagpapakita ng aming husay sa pananaliksik, pagsulat, at malikhaing pagpapahayag.

Lubos din ang aming pasasalamat sa bumubuo ng pahayagang ito—sa masisipag na manunulat, editor, tagapagdisenyo, at sa lahat ng nasa likod ng bawat pahina lalong-lalo na sa aming tagapayo Ma'am Gerlie R. Dominguez at Ma'am Eunice Q. Labrillaso.

Taos-puso rin kaming nagpapasalamat kina G. Noel JP, aming taga-edit; G. Stephen Hisuan; Hon. Earl John Rey Susal; Manong Josh Philip Aristoki; at G. Jerry P. Grozen, kasama ang aming mga g**o, sa kanilang walang sawang suporta, gabay, at paniniwala sa aming kakayahan.

Ang bawat pakpak ng tagumpay ay hindi lamang gawa ng iisa, kundi bunga ng sama-samang pagsisikap at paniniwala.

Ang Handumanan Vol IV ay patunay ng dedikasyon at pagkakaisa ng mga mag-aaral sa paglikha ng isang makabuluhang tala ng kanilang panahon. Inaanyayahan ang lahat na basahin at tuklasin ang mga kwentong bumubuo sa patuloy na kasaysayan ng paaralan. 📖

Sharing a proud moment as the ANG HANDUMANAN- BES School Paper was given to Iloilo City Councilors, Miguel Treñas and Mandrie Malabor.
.😂😂😂

"Iloilo City Government: Rise to action—making city schools digitally ready in partnership with Carelon Global Solutions Philippines" 💻✨

Balantang Elementary School gratefully received 9 laptops to support both learners and educators in embracing digital education.

Representing Mayor Raisa Treñas, City Councilors Miguel Treñas, Mandrie Malabor, and Nene Dela Llana led the turnover ceremony on March 19, 2026.

From our Head Teacher, Sir Jerry P. Grozen, faculty and staff, parents, and learners—madamo gid nga salamat to the Iloilo City Government and Mayor Raisa Treñas for this meaningful support.

Together, we rise to action—bridging the digital gap and shaping a smarter, more connected future for every Ilonggo learner

Yesterday (03/14/26) was an incredible day at Balantang Elementary School as our students took center stage to showcase their amazing skills for the MAPEH Culminating Activity: BES Got Talent – Field Demo Edition! The event, held at 5:00 PM on the BES Grounds in front of Doña Soledad, was nothing short of spectacular.

This exciting showcase comes on the heels of our Barangay Balantang Fiesta Opening Salvo, which was lively and filled with energy. The celebration kicked off with a Grand Opening Parade and Field Demonstration, organized and led by BES with wonderful support from our alumni, parents, Barangay Balantang Council, and Sangguniang Kabataan.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this possible:

Chairman: Sir Jerry P. Grozen
Co-Chairs: Ma'am Juliette Eriman & Ma'am Michelle Bucana

Judges:
HON. JEREL AGILLES, DR. DYNA N. REMANESES and MARY JANE D. PAUYA for their time and expertise in evaluating our talented students.

All Committee Members – your dedication, hard work behind the scenes, and attention to detail were instrumental in making both events run smoothly.

We also express sincere gratitude to EVERYONE who contributed to the success of both events – your unwavering support, cooperation, and participation made these occasions truly meaningful and memorable. Thank you for being part of our celebration.

Here are our talented winners! 🏆

📚 PRIMARY LEVEL

- Champion: Grade 3 (also awarded Most Performers & Best Discipline)
- 2nd Place: Grade 2
- 3rd Place: Kinder
- 4th Place: Grade 1

📖 INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

- Champion: Grade 4 (also awarded Most Performers & Best Discipline)
- 2nd Place: Grade 5
- 3rd Place: Grade 6

To all our students, teachers, parents, and supporters, you made this possible. Your hard work and passion truly shone through. Here's to more fun activities as we celebrate our barangay fiesta! 🎊

The BES Pen Initiative:
“DALAGAN PARA SA BES PEN” – 5KM Fun Run for a Cause (School Paper) 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

📢 Note: Long message ahead!

Turning the vision of Dalagan para sa BES Pen into reality was no small feat. It started with a simple question: Where do we begin? From there came the long hours of planning, days of deciding what to do, nights of pulawanay sang mga ulobrahon, overthinking the possible problems that might arise and how we could solve them, and reaching out to people who might believe in our cause and extend their help.

And finally, March 14, 2026 marked the day when more than 200 pairs of shoes ran not just on the road, but for a purpose. 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️ Watching everyone show up, run together, and support the cause reminded us that everything was truly worth it.

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the individuals and organizations who generously supported and made this event possible:

Tres-Fuerzas Co.,
Converge,
Milo Philippines,
M Lhuillier,
2J Water Refilling Station,
Mr. Noel Pajutagana,
Ms. Grace Galusong (Milo),
Ms. Abby (Ace Promotion),
Ken Carl Gayacan,
Jedd Andrie Gayacan,
Teofilo Guion Jr.,
Mrs. Ives Morquia,
Mrs. Gretchen Dofeliz Penafiel (face towels),
SK Council of Brgy. Balantang,
BES SPTA Officers with Pres. Lablab Subaldo,
the BES Pen Family,
BES Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff headed by our Head Teacher Sir Jerry Grozen,
Barangay Health Workers,
CDRRMO,
Barangay Councils of Balantang and Camalig,
Brgy. Balantang Tanods,
Brgy. Balantang Community,
BES Alumni,
ISAT-U Student Teachers,
BES Parents,
BES learners,
and our friends and families.

A special mention goes to Hon. Earl John Rey Susal and Stephen Hisuan (Zion) for supporting us every step of the way. Madamo gid nga salamat! We truly couldn’t have done this without you. 🙏❤️

To all the BES teachers who helped us today — Teresita G. Monte (aga2 pa sa school), Rina Grace A. Jaudines (gintulogan gd sa school), Juliette and Francis Ted Eriman, Niciria Casilda Agilles, Pearl Joy Niogan, Ma. Theresa Malapitan, Virgilio Failanza and our OIC, Marian Geroche — thank you so much! We really appreciate your effort and presence.

A huge appreciation to the ISAT U Interns and SPTA Officers assigned in the hydration areas for making sure every runner stayed hydrated and cared for along the route.

To Tito Rey, Tita Ruth, Tita Tata, Tito Jr., Tito Martin, and Tito Arnie, we have seen and felt your hard work. Madamo gd nga salamat sa inyo!

JB Jaudines, our official photographer (pics and videos will be added here soon)

To Ma’am Christine Joy M. Batuigas, thank you for attending and supporting this event.

Thank you also to all the runners, supporters, and volunteers who joined today.

Your generosity, support, participation, and belief in our cause helped make Dalagan para sa BES Pen a meaningful and successful event.

We, at The BES Pen, will make sure that every penny spent, every drop of sweat, and every step taken will not go to waste.

God Bless everyone!

❤️ A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO SIR NOEL JP! ❤️

Our school paper team is overflowing with gratitude as we celebrate the generous support of Sir Noel JP, who sponsored the full printing costs for our latest issue. You may have wished to remain behind the scenes and keep this quiet, but we simply cannot let your kindness go unrecognized.

We are also deeply thankful for Sir Noel’s role as an editor of our school paper. His guidance, expertise, and dedication have shaped not just this issue, but our entire team’s growth as young journalists.

For months, The BES Pen Editorial Board worked tirelessly, writing articles, designing layouts, and capturing moments that bring our school community together. Thanks to Sir Noel’s kindness and belief in the power of voices, these efforts have now come to life in print.

Your sponsorship doesn’t just help us print pages. It validates the hard work of our young writers and journalists, and ensures that our school’s stories, achievements, and important messages reach everyone who matters. You’ve shown our students that their words have value and that members of our community care deeply about their growth.

Sir Noel, we cannot thank you enough for your generosity, your editorial leadership, and for investing in the future of our learners. This issue is dedicated to you! 🙏

To our school paper family, keep writing, keep creating, and keep sharing our story!

Mga nagkalain-lain nga nawong antis mag-umpisa ang Group #13 Performance. Ang kulba di hamak. 😂😂😂.

♪ I take one step away, and I find myself coming back to you ♫
My one and only you ♪ 💕 – Parokya ni Edgar

This year’s journalism journey may not be as hard as stone, but it has been a bumpy road. The one who pushed us to start this, one of our strongest pillars, transferred to other school. We have no laptops to use in practicing Photojournalism and Radio Broadcasting. We’ve seen each other getting tired, our pen’s ink slowly ran out, we’re always having flu and fever, loss of voice, motivation slowly fading, frustrations were taking their toll, and getting sick of eating Rebisco every day because that’s the constant snack provided to us and walang panulak. But because we are not just a team — we are one dream, one goal, one heart. We kept pushing forward until we can bring pride and honor to our school.
And finally, we’ve made it!

REGIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE

Individual Category:
Top 10 Science and Technology – Sherlen Cambar

Group Category:
RADIO BROADCASTING- Filipino
Top 2 Best Anchor – Amiel Jan Jimenez
Top 3 Best Technical Director – Ziah Francine Chitchirita
Top 3 in Radio Scriptwriting & Broadcasting - Best in Technical Application
Top 4 in Radio Scriptwriting & Broadcasting - Best Script

Not bad for a first timer in Radio Broadcasting- Filipino, right?

So allow us to extend our appreciation and deep gratitude to everyone behind our winnings.

First, to Ma’am Christine Joy Batuigas for starting this Journalism club. Without you pushing us, we won’t be here savoring this victory. Thank you for always there for us despite you being in the different school. You never hesitated—together with Nabitasan Integrated School and Sir Jonathan, your ICT Coordinator—to allow us to borrow your 4 laptops. Madamo nga salamat NIS.

To our trainers Manong Earl and Sir Stephen, since Day 1, you extended your help in training us, young journalists. You may be busy with work but you gave us time and chose to spend your day-off Fridays, Saturdays and even holidays with us. Both of you will always be our savior in times we have nothing more to give. Basta bal-an nyo na ina. The BES Pen babies are looking forward to more bumpy but meaningful roads together.

We extend our heartfelt thanks also to our parents who have been unwavering in their support, providing for our needs every step of the way. Madamo gid nga salamat! Palangga gid namon kamo.

To our coaches, Ma'am Gerlie R. Dominguez and Ma'am Eunice Q. Labrillaso, thank you also for generously sharing your time, your Saturdays, holidays and actually, every day. We’ve seen your eye bags and white hairs because of stress but you never gave up on us. Despite all the “last na ni to sige ah, next year naman kay ara pa ang mga younger batch”, shows that you’ve seen potentials in us.

We also extend our sincere gratitude to our School Head Sir JP and BES family, your continuous support, understanding and kindness truly made our journalism journey even more memorable.

To our PSDS Dr. Dymphna Liezel Jocson, BES SPTA officers, BES Alumni, Balantang SK officials, Balantang and Camalig Barangay Officials, and the entire community, thank you for your invaluable support. This victory is a shared triumph, and we couldn't have done it without you.

Special thanks to Sir Noel JP for your moral support, Escleto family for the Rebisco supply (lucky charm gid namon ni), Peler Family for sponsoring our RB Grey RSPC T-shirt, and Ma’am April Rose Toralde for always there behind the scene.

Lastly, we give thanks to Father God for blessing us with these amazing people who gave us hope, strength, and encouragement to continue our journey.

So, why we started this caption with that song? This song reminds us of every challenge we’ve faced and every moment we almost chose to quit. There were struggles and doubts — but we never truly walked away. Instead, we kept coming back, stronger and more determined.

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. We do not own any of the songs/music used, in part or in whole. All rights belong to their respective owners.

📰 BES JOURNALISTS SOAR AT DSPC 2025! 🏆

Balantang Elementary School takes the spotlight at the 2025 Division Schools Press Conference, proving that dedication and talent lead to victory! 🎉✍️📷 With pens, cameras, and unwavering passion, our young journalists showcased excellence, bringing home multiple awards and making BES proud!

🥇 Champions:
🏆 Jude Kristoff Bayo-ang – 1st Place, Editorial Writing (Filipino)
🏆 Althasia Loisse Biron – 1st Place, Photojournalism (English)
🏆 Marjory Rhane Dignadice – 1st Place, Photojournalism (Filipino)

🏅 Top Finalists:
🏆 Celine Faith Jagorin – 5th Place, Editorial Cartooning (English)
🏆 Princess Phille Gabriel Escleto – 10th Place, Editorial Writing (English)
🏆 Hannah Merielle Buhayan – 10th Place, Column Writing (Filipino)

👏 Proud Participants:
🎖️ Ken Matthew Agilles – Copyreading (English)
🎖️ Sophie Camille Blesario – Copyreading (Filipino)
🎖️ Elyysa Monteliza – Column Writing (English)
🎖️ Liam Zayn Ruiz – Editorial Cartooning (Filipino)

We would like to say thank you to Mam Tin for the guidance and inspiration 🌟, the parents of the young journalists for their unwavering support 👏, SPTA Officers, Brgy. Camalig and Balantang Officials, Manong Earl and Manong Stephen, Manong Josh for their dedication and assistance 🙏.

This is just the beginning of their journey as young campus journalists. Keep writing, keep capturing, and keep inspiring! ✨🖋️📸