8-18-10 texts from Ptr Chito Mendizabal:
Hi bro mike and all! Praise God for all your hearts for God’s mission. God remembers all. As of the moment we have a seminar here at ebi. This is VOICE, teaching values education in public school, elem. and high school. Included in it is gov’t endorsement, curriculum, teacher’s manual, visual mtls and students lessons. Many churches attended. We’ll be starting this month in elem. first.
More info about VOICE can be found at their website:
http://www.voice-phils.com/
This website describes VOICE as:
Values Orientation In Classroom Education (VOICE Philippines) is a faith-based NGO which partners with community groups to strengthen the moral and spiritual fiber of youth – tomorrow’s generation. VOICE has prepared a Bible-based values curriculum and offers basic training to equip volunteers to teach weekly Values Instruction Classes in a nearby school.
From a small prayer meeting in Quezon City in February 2004, to drafting values lessons for volunteer teachers, to a start-up committee, to volunteer workers in a borrowed office, VOICE Philippines was formally incorporated in April 2005. Its energy, in part, has been driven by a July 2004 directive by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
“…I would like to instruct our Department of Education to allow (non-government organizations) of various religions to teach values formation once again in our public schools.”
Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Philippine Star (July 13,2004)
Here are typical features and program curriculum promoted by VOICE:
- Quality curriculum developed for Philippine public schools
- Bible-based, values-focused
- Trained local volunteers
- Weekly classes during school time
- Community based
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- Two Biblical values featured in each 12-week module:
- Truth & Honesty
- Respect & Friendliness
- Self-Discipline & Responsibility
- Obedience & Forgiveness
- Thankfulness & Attentiveness (for H.S. – Thankfulness & True Love)
- Kindness & Patience
- Humility & Diligence
- Initiative & Courage
- Lessons from the Bible, Philippine history and culture
- Large colorful visuals (English & Tagalog)
- User Friendly Teacher’s Manual
- Music CDs of six (6) or more original upbeat correlated songs
- Class and Take Home activity sheets
- Certificates of Completion
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This is an amazing way for Christians to have a positive influence on the general community! Whereas faith is usually kept out of the public schools in the United States, the Philippine government actually welcomes and sanctions volunteers from religious organizations to go into public schools to teach about God and values. PAMI has already done this in some places like Irosin. After this seminar, hopefully even more of this can happen.