April 21 Update

First of all, I wish to greet each and everyone a belated Happy Easter. I was offline most of Easter week attending to the centennial workshop in Sagada and my engagement as commencement speaker at St. James High School Annex in Tamboan, Besao, where I had to hike a total of two and a half hours each way. On my back to Manila, I had to attend a public consultation on the Philippine Energy Program in Cabanatuan and on the last day of the week, I had to lead PNOC employees on a company outing to Bulacan. Upon my return to Manila, I got sick and am back to the office only today.

At any rate, I am pleased once again to update everybody on the most recent developments at SMS:

1. FACULTY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP AND YOUTH CAMP - We conducted on April 12-14 a very successful workshop seminar and youth camp led by the world-famous Dr. Biyo and her team for teachers and students from SMS and other schools, including St. James and All Saints. Details of the workshop have already been posted by Bernice See. Dr. Biyo has agreed to a long term relationship with SMS on the development of SMS faculty, which will include follow up activites to ensure sustainability. This will definitely enhance the image of SMS, not just in the Cordilleras but in the whole Philippines. Dr. Biyo's involvement has been supported financially by major corporations, such as Petron, Philamlife, Pfizer and Philippine Geothermal and they are expected to support future faculty development activities. The Ayala Foundation is now already asking how it can help in future activities. Finally, this event jumpstarts and signals to the Sagada community the seriousness of the corporation's efforts towards restoring quality education at SMS.

2. FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVAMP - The painful, but long overdue, revamp of SMS administration and faculty finally started with the appointment of 8 highly qualified teachers (including two from old faculty) selected from 160 applicants. They are all computer literate (unlike previous faculty) and relatively young with average age of 25 (as against 41 of the old faculty). On April 14, the Diocese also notified old faculty members of the termination of their services. Mr. John Guitilen agreed to act as officer in charge until Mr. Dennis Faustino of International School Manila takes over as principal in 2005. Mrs. Tocong and Mrs. See remain as academic consultant and part time development officer, respectively.

3. MANAGEMENT TURNOVER - On April 15, the Diocese finally turned over the management of SMS to SMSSI to ensure long term viability of the school.

4. LIBRARY UPGRADING - Pursuant to the newly established sisterhood relationship with Brent School, Mrs. Ellen Cay-an Valdez, a trained and experienced librarian at Brent and SMS alumna, was sent to assist the newly-hired SMS librarian and see how Brent can help. Ellen confirmed that the new SMS librarian is highly qualified and currently doing a very good job putting the library in order. Ellen will make regular visits to SMS to follow up implementation of her recommendations. At the moment, both Ellen and Dr. Biyo agree that SMS is relatively well equipped with books and what is most urgently needed is to have them properly catalogued and used by faculty and students.

5. PLANNING SESSION - Dennis Faustino led a brainstorming session for SMSSI board, officers, faculty, and key members of Parents-Teachers Association to get everyone on board on the school's long term goals and objectives and get everyone's inputs for the preparation of a comprehensive 5-year strategic plan towards placing SMS among the ranks of top Philippine schools. Dennis will be ready with such a plan before he takes over in 2005.

6. PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN - Sagada's incumbent Mayor Killip, currently Vice Chairman of SMSSI, led Sagada-based directors and officers in accelerating a public information campaign on the benefits of incorporation, which is actually a mandatory requirement of the Department of Education for all private schools. The campaign is necessary to counter a lot of misinformation now being spread by a few misguided people, including understandably some of the old faculty members who were replaced. Hopefully, this campaign, together with the highly successful Biyo workshop will lead to increased enrollment, or at least keep the enrollment at current levels.

7. BUDGET FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2004-2005 - The latest review of projected revenue sources and operating costs show a deficit of 575 thousand pesos (projected expenditures of 1870 thousand less projected revenues of 1295 thousand). This assumes that the committed sources of revenues (including designated funds) are actually realized and the projected number of students (164 as against 190 last year) are also realized. A very conservative number of enrollees for next year is assumed due to a possible negative reaction to the increase in tuition fees, but this could be neutralized by the highly successful workshop. The corporation has increased tuition fees to 5000 pesos a year, but with government subsidy, the net parents' contribution will still be only around 1500 pesos per year, which is about the same level as parents pay at St. James in Besao. For further details, please refer to attached projections of revenue and operating expenses prepared by Bernice. Please note that there is no budget for capital expenditures, such as major repairs, construction of additional toilets, purchase and installation of a satellite disc that will enable SMS faculty to be online, repainting, etc. The members of the Brent Board have expressed willingness to contribute their personal funds for some of these capital expenditures and Faustino has agreed to pay the salaries of two security guards to ensure that the school assets are protected during the summer vacation.

Even if the projected deficit is less that the one million pesos earlier estimated, I wish to reiterate my earlier request for fund raising among the alumni to meet the operating budget deficit. Those who want to contribute to specific capital expenditures or specific budgetary items (like the Abeyas designating their contribution for the Librarian's chair) are also very much welcome. We will soon come out with the estimates for needed capital expenditures. I think that if non-SMS alumni are willing to contribute, as has been demonstrated during the Biyo workshop, there is even greater reason for SMS alumni to do so.

We are definitely beginning to see the beginning of a reborn SMS, but it badly needs the support of all SMS alumni for the school to grow, especially during the 1st two years.