Finding the Benguet culture of gratitude locally referred as iyaman as a mark of integrity, OIC Schools Division Office (SDO) Superintendent Benilda M. Daytaca led the launching of IYAMAN as the cornerstone of leadership and governance of the schools division before hundreds of school heads and SDO personnel who converged at the Jewel Igorot Building Function Hall, Km 4, La Trinidad on December 13 to witness the event, which coincided with the Salamat Mabuhay Program of newly-retired Public Schools District Supervisor Gloria M. Suayan.
Originally called Informing Yearly Accomplishments, Monitoring Assessments and Networking (IYAMAN) institutionalized since 2016 as a yearly gathering in each district to celebrate success and strengthen accountability among stakeholders, IYAMAN is now coined as Integrity Yields Accomplishments, Modifies Advancement, and Nurtures excellence.
Daytaca explained that grateful leadership will now be exemplified noting that even researches as compiled by Amit Amin in his book Happier Human found the social, emotional, health and career benefits of being grateful.
“Let us make our IYAMAN as the cornerstone of our governance and directions as a schools division. Founded on grateful leadership, we ought to be thankful for having countless blessings. To name a few, Benguet is truly blessed for having supportive stakeholders, trusted leaders, potential teachers and personnel, gifted learners, and the like. Let us all capitalize on these and level up by waving our IYAMAN—Integrity Yields Accomplishments, Modifies Advancement, Nurtures excellence,” the superintendent said.
The launching of IYAMAN became doubly significant after SDO Benguet honored Suayan for her long years in service to education starting as a classroom teacher in Labilab Elementary School in Itogon to a public schools district supervisor serving Kabayan and Bokod.
Suayan also served as the Division co-coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples’ Education (IPEd) and Mother-Tongue Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE) before her retirement.
Meanwhile, the awarding of school heads, teachers, non-teaching personnel and schools in relation to the Service Excellence for Division Officers and Employees (SEDOE) highlighted the day’s activities with OIC Assistant Regional Director Florante Vergara, represented by DepEd-CAR Public Information Officer Georaloy Palao-ay, as guest speaker.
By Macarthy Malanes
Illustration by Don Ray Ramos
