WBS Institute for Asian Educators Development
Rooted in Service – Grounded in Justice – United for the Filipino Teacher

Message from the President
“2019 marked our 49th year of championing the cause of the Filipino teacher.  We remained faithful to our founding principles while adapting to the shifting landscape of education, poverty, and conflict.  This was a year of both quiet acts of compassion and bold advocacy, with WBS standing firmly beside teachers in all walks of life.”

National Teachers Assembly 2019 – “Teachers at the Frontlines”: Nation-Builders, Peace-Weavers
Held in Tagaytay City, the assembly was attended by 800 educators and 45 youth leaders.  Key discussions included:

  • Building resilient schools in climate-vulnerable areas
  • Teaching in conflict and post-conflict communities
  • The mental and emotional burdens carried by women teachers in the countryside. The keynote panel featured grassroots teacher-organizers from Sulu, Negros, and Ifugao, sharing stories of courage and persistence.

WBS Teacher Welfare Services – Expanded Reach
WBS Intensified efforts to respond to the needs of sick, abandoned, and elderly teachers.  Highlights include:

  • Burial and Medical Assistance: 112 educators assisted (a 40% increase from 2018)
  • Livelihood Grants for Retired Teachers: 29 teachers received seed funding for sari-sari stores, vegetable gardening, and tailoring.
  • Psychosocial Support Services: Group therapy sessions facilitated in Nueva Ecija, Antique, and Cotabato for 66 retired teachers dealing with loss, trauma, or displacement.

“Kariton ng Kaalaman” Grows
The mobile literacy program expanded to 5 more locations, including Tondo (Manila), Navotas, and Pagadian.  Volunteers provided storybooks, interactive modules, and group reading sessions to over 6,500 children.  New carts were designed with audio storytelling devices for children with limited literacy or visual impairment.

Teacher Formation: Critical and Humanizing Education
Through 12 regional workshops, WBS introduced a new module on critical pedagogy focusing on:

  • Education as liberation
  • Contextualized teaching
  • Teacher-student dialogue in oppressed communities

More than 500 teachers engaged with Paulo Freire-inspired methods and committed to developing classroom strategies that empower rather than merely instruct.

International Solidarity and Asian Educators’ Dialogue
WBS joined regional educators in Kuala Lumpur for the first Asian Educators for Social Justice Conference, presenting a report titled “The Silent Crisis: Aging Teachers in Post-Colonial Philippines.” The presentation sparked a resolution to include aging educators’ rights in international education aid agendas.

Humanitarian Response: Mindanao Earthquakes
In the wake of the October quakes in Cotabato, WBS dispatched emergency relief to 37 teachers and their families who lost homes or livelihoods.  Aid included food, tents, hygiene kits, and trauma-informed education materials for children in evacuation centers.

Publications Released

  • Teachers in the Margins: A research-based report on the condition of informal teachers and unrecognized community educators.
  • Pagmumulat at Paglilingkod: A manual for training young educators in values-driven teaching and servant-leadership

Honoring Teacher-Martyrs
WBS launched the “Alay sa Guro ng Bayan” memorial tribute for teachers who died while serving in extreme conditions.  In 2019, five were recognized posthumously for giving their lives in the line of service – from boat teachers in Samar to peace educators in Maguindanao.

To Our Donors and Partners
Your kindness has lit the path of many forgotten teachers and brought learning to thousands of children.  Thank you for your trust, your generosity, and your enduring belief in our shared mission.

What Awaits in 2020
As we approach our 50th year, WBS is preparing a year-long celebration of teacher-heroes, launching its Legacy Project, and initiating a Fellowship Program for rural educators.  With your support, we will continue to serve the least visible educators of our time – with dignity, humility, and conviction.