METRO MANILA COLLEGE

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INQUIRIES, INVESTIGATION, AND IMMERSION

ABSTRACT

THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF COLLEGE STUDENTS AS DUMAGAT

VOLUNTEER

Ferdinand Absalon Jr.

Chelsea Bravo

Shaira Madrid

Christina Ofelea Valle

Volunteerism is a worldwide phenomenon that has played an increasing

role in society. It has had a long history with the scale of voluntary work

varying from country to country implying that volunteerism could be culture-

bound. It contributes towards the improvement of the quality of life of several

sectors of society, and is a renewable resource for addressing issues and

concerns in the broader context of human development. Because of the

serious economic disparities and striking educational inequalities between

rural and urban areas in Philippines, rural education is still confronted with the

problems of funding shortage, teacher shortage, inferior teacher quality,

unbalanced teacher allocation, and so on. In the international context, some

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organizations and other countries also conducted a lot of volunteer teaching

programs, while the effectiveness varies greatly among these programs. By

reviewing volunteer teaching in the international context and short-term

volunteer teaching program in China, it indicates that more attention should

be paid to the role and effectiveness of short-term volunteer teaching. It is

hoped that this study could bring some implications to the further study on

this topic.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The purpose of this study was to identify the “Lived Experience of

College of Education Students as Dumagat Volunteers”.

Specifically, it sought answers to the following questions:

1. What are the lived experiences of College volunteer students?

2. What insights may be drawn from their experience?

3. What are the implications of their insights?

Research Design

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A phenomenological research methodology was used for this study. As

its name suggest, phenomenology method is to describe the nature of

situation as it exist at the time of the study and to explore the causes of

particular phenomena. Phenomenology is solely concerned with the study of

the experience from the perspective of the co researcher. This type of

research focuses on the wholeness of the experience, rather than its

individual parts.

Significance of the Study

Students – for them to be aware that education is more important.

Also that many children outside wants to study but they do not have chance

because of poverty and lack of facilities they need to prioritize their

education.

Non-government Organization (NGO) – for them to be aware the

lack of dumagats financial needs their education and help other Dumagat

sustain their education

National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP) – for them to

be informed that there are other TIMES who would like to finish education.

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Department of Education (DEPED) – to be aware that education is

very important to indigenous people for other tribes believe that it is the key

to rise from poverty

Future Researchers – to conduct further study about the education

of Dumagat students and also for the improvement of the validity of the

research.

Selection of Co-researcher

The researcher considered the selected College of Education Students in

Metro Manila College as co-researchers in this study to be able to know their

lived experience as volunteer of Dumagats students. The researcher chose

them to ensure the credibility and integrity of the information that the

researcher will gather.

Scope and Delimitations

The co-researcher of this research will come from College of Education

in Metro Manila College. There will be total of five (5) co-researchers to take

part in this study where the researchers will be gathering the data and

become the basis for this research’s findings

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This study will focus on the experience of the college student as

Dumagat volunteer and how it help them as BSEd students.

Implications

Based on the eidetic insights the following implications are drawn.

The co-researchers implied that volunteering serves as their lessons on

being a teacher, on how to cope up with the challenges on how to be an

educator. Thus, they learn things on how to improve their capabilities as an

educator and practice to develop different strategies in teaching and

classroom management.

After several meetings, both Dumagats and the volunteers gain the

trust of each other. The awkwardness and shyness slipped away and they

both felt comfortable interacting as student and as teacher.

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They know that being an educator needs patience and understanding

for them to be able to fully understand their students. Even though they are

struggling to communicate with their students (Dumagats), they persevere to

send information and knowledge in any ways they can. Learning essential

techniques to understand several language that their use.

Sharing knowledge makes them feel happy and satisfied. They know

that giving and helping others whole heartedly without thinking in returns

makes them really happy. After long hours of teaching, what they shared is

immeasurable even beyond the standard classroom settings.

The co-researchers implied that volunteering makes them feel the

satisfaction, as time passes by, they feel that being a volunteer is not only

part of their subjects and requirements, but they do it because they want it

and they love giving their time and efforts to the Dumagats.

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Symbolism

WATERING CAN

The Co-researchers can be compared to a watering can because just like a

watering can, the volunteers share what it has by sprinkling knowledge and

ideas to the Dumagat. Dumagat’s knowledge start as a seed which will slowly

grow by the help of watering can contains water and sunlight which

symbolizes their knowledge about their culture. Just like the seed, by

continuous sprinkling of knowledge and ideas to dumagat and continues

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gaining knowledge about their culture, it will resulted on growth and success,

By the help also of volunteers who shared their knowledge. But not just the

Dumagat who will benefit, but also the volunteers itself, By gaining

knowledge from culture of Dumagat and teaching experience from them.

Recommendation

Based on the implications drawn, the researchers came up with the

following recommendations for the selected significance of the study.

1. Students should give importance to their education for they are

blessed unlike other who needed it but can’t afford to go to school

because of financial needs and support, also they should share their

knowledge to those who in need.

2. Non-Government Organization should be aware on this kind of

situation and help the Education of Dumagat in terms of financial

support, not just for our fellow Dumagat but also other indigenous

people. They could build a group that will encourage other people to

teach the indigenous group.

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3. National Commission on Indigenous Peoples they could be

informed that there are also other tribes who need educational support

and help them to preserve their culture.

4. Department of Education may establish some action like, sustaining

the need of materials on teaching of the volunteers and provide more

volunteers to help other indigenous group.

5. Future Researchers should realize and dig deep about the life

experiences of the College volunteer students.

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