Iskolar ng Bayan

REPAIR FRONTLINERS 🏫

Across flood-prone areas in the Philippines, some school principals are no longer just managing classes, teachers, and students.

They are also finding funds, raising floors, requesting repairs, asking for donations, and improvising ways to keep classrooms usable after repeated floods.

In Pampanga, Masantol High School has repeatedly elevated classroom floors just to stay above floodwater. Each round reportedly costs around ₱50,000 to ₱100,000, giving only a few years of relief before the floodwaters rise again.

The repeated adjustments have left some rooms with ceilings so low that adults can almost touch them, affecting ventilation and comfort for both learners and teachers.

Eight kilometers away, San Vicente–San Francisco High School in Macabebe has also tried different solutions, from dikes and pumps to landfilling and temporary learning spaces. But even after efforts to raise the campus, Super Typhoon Uwan still brought floodwater above the floor of one of its newer buildings.

For principals in these schools, the work has become more than administration.

It has become survival planning.

DepEd has introduced elevated, stilt-type classroom buildings for flood-prone areas, but the rollout remains slow because of higher costs. In Pampanga, only a limited number of stilt buildings have been completed, despite more than 100 public schools being classified as flood-prone in the province.

The problem is also affecting learning time. EDCOM II estimated that around 11 million public school students lost about 53 teaching days to disasters in School Year 2023–2024.

This is the reality many school leaders face: while waiting for long-term infrastructure solutions, they continue to protect learning with whatever resources they can find.

In flood-prone communities, principals are not only leading schools.

They are helping hold them together.

BIGGEST PRIDE MARCH 🌈

The University of the Philippines Diliman is set to become the center of a historic Pride celebration this June.

UP Diliman, the Quezon City Local Government Unit, and Pride PH have joined forces for the LoveL4ban Pride PH Festival 2026, which is expected to gather around 300,000 members of the LGBTQIA+ community, families, allies, and Pride participants on June 27.

The celebration will serve as the culminating activity of Quezon City’s Pride Month events.

LoveL4ban will feature four stages around the UP Academic Oval, including a main stage near the Oblation Plaza and satellite stages at Palma Hall, the Sunken Garden, and Melchor Hall.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with the Pride Expo and QueerCon, where LGBTQIA+ micro, small, and medium enterprises can set up booths around the Academic Oval.

The grand Pride March will start at University Avenue, move around the Academic Oval, pass through Ylanan Street, enter Commonwealth Avenue, and return to University Avenue. Pride Night will follow at 6 p.m.

For UP Diliman, the celebration is more than a campus event.

It is a statement of equality, visibility, solidarity, and the right of every person to learn, work, create, and live authentically.

As thousands gather in one of the country’s most iconic university spaces, LoveL4ban 2026 becomes a reminder that Pride is not only a celebration.

It is also a call for dignity, safety, inclusion, and human rights for all.

DREAM ACHIEVED 🎓✨

“Ang pagtupad ng pangarap walang pinipiling edad.”

— Angeline Quinto

Angeline Quinto has reached another milestone — this time, outside the concert stage.

The singer and actress has graduated after completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, major in Marketing Management, at Immaculada Concepcion College in Caloocan City.

Known for her powerful voice and emotional performances, Angeline has long inspired audiences through music. Now, she adds another achievement to her journey: finishing college while balancing life as an artist, wife, and mother.

Earlier, Angeline shared that she kept her return to school a secret from her family and husband because she wanted to surprise them once she finally completed her degree.

Her journey shows that dreams do not expire. Whether it is returning to school, finishing a degree, or continuing something once paused, education can still be pursued at any age and at any season of life.

From “Patuloy Ang Pangarap” to walking onstage as a college graduate, Angeline Quinto proves that some dreams take time — but they are still worth finishing.

Congratulations, Angeline! Padayon. 🌻

DRIVEN BY DREAMS 🚍🎓

“Hanggang may paraan, gumawa tayo ng paraan.”

— Marvin Daludado

Before Marvin Padilla Daludado earned his college diploma, he first learned how to drive his way through hardship.

At 17, Marvin began working as a jeepney driver to help support his education. His mornings started as early as 5:00 a.m., taking passengers on the road before heading to school.

After his morning route, he would return home, prepare for class, and go to school using the same jeepney he drove for work. When expenses became heavier, he would take additional trips after class to help pay for tuition and school needs.

Marvin later graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from the University of the East-Caloocan, proving that the road to a diploma is not always easy, but it is possible with sacrifice and perseverance.

His story reminds students that dignity can be found in honest work. Some dreams are carried by books, uniforms, and exams. Others are also carried by early mornings, long routes, and passengers who become part of the journey.

From daily pasada to college graduation, Marvin’s story shows that poverty may make the road longer, but it does not have to stop the destination.

Padayon, working students. 🌻

If studying in your dream university is the goal, let every review session move you closer to it.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP 🔬

Sen. Bam Aquino has been elected chairperson of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology during the Senate special session on June 17, 2026.

The committee is expected to handle key issues on science, research, innovation, digital access, technology policy, and support for Filipino learners, educators, scientists, and innovators.

Aquino was also elected chairperson of the Senate Committees on Basic Education and Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, placing him in panels closely connected to students, schools, startups, digital learning, and future-ready jobs.

For learners, this matters because science and technology policy is not only about laboratories or gadgets. It also affects internet access in schools, digital textbooks, research opportunities, innovation programs, and the country’s ability to prepare students for a changing world.

As many schools still face challenges in connectivity and learning resources, leadership in science and technology becomes part of the larger call for equal access to education.

For future scientists, engineers, researchers, innovators, and students dreaming of a better Philippines, this committee will be one to watch.

“GRIND UNTIL 3AM”

A marine engineering student from Cebu has inspired many online after he was seen selling peanuts while pursuing his studies.

Ariston Era, a second-year Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering student at the University of the Visayas, gained attention after photos showed him selling peanuts in his school uniform in Cebu City.

“No dream is too big when paired with dedication.”

For many students, Ariston’s story reflects a reality that often stays unseen: not every dream is carried by comfort. Some are built through long days, late nights, small earnings, and the determination to keep going even when life is difficult.

His hustle is not just about selling peanuts. It is about showing up for school, working with dignity, and proving that hardship does not erase ambition.

Ariston’s journey reminds every student that success does not always begin with privilege. Sometimes, it begins with a uniform, a container of peanuts, and a dream strong enough to survive the grind.

Padayon, Ariston. Padayon, working students. 🌻

NOT AN ACCIDENT 🕊️

“Due diligence was not exercised.”

— CIDG Director

The PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said the deaths of Ateneo student-athletes Rene Clert Baterbonia and Divine Adili are not being treated as a simple accident at this stage of the investigation.

Baterbonia and Adili, members of the Ateneo Blue Eagles men’s basketball team, died on June 8, 2026, following a drowning incident during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora.

According to CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Robert Morico II, investigators are looking into whether proper precautions were taken before the activity, including the sea conditions, previous warnings, and why the team was brought to a more secluded area away from the resort.

The CIDG also said the investigation is looking into possible homicide or hazing, while authorities continue gathering statements from players, coaches, and other individuals involved.

At this point, no final conclusion has been made. The investigation remains ongoing, and the search for accountability must still follow evidence, due process, and the rights of all parties.

For the families of Rene and Divine, the call for answers continues beyond grief. What happened to the two young athletes is now a painful reminder that student safety must never be treated as secondary in any school, team, or training activity.

Justice for Rene and Divine. 🕊️

COUPLE GOALS 🎓

“Graduate na ako Mama, Papa, natupad ko na ang isa sa pangarap ninyo para sa akin.”

Couple creators Keith and Juan are celebrating a meaningful milestone as they now step into a new chapter as college graduates.

Keith R. Pangilinan, known as part of the couple creator duo KeithJuan, finished Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management as part of Batch 2026.

For many who have followed their journey online, this moment is more than a graduation photo. It is a reminder that love, dreams, and education can grow together when two people support each other through every season.

From creating content to reaching this academic milestone, Keith and Juan’s story shows that behind every joyful post are years of effort, patience, and perseverance.

Their graduation is not only a personal achievement. It is also an inspiration for students who are still working hard for their own finish line.

Congratulations, Keith and Juan! Padayon. 🌻