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| Taken during the Pasko sa Isla 2019. Sir Edwin leads the participation of DepEd- Anda district in that event. |
I woke up this morning receiving a bad news. My sister told me that our district supervisor is dead. She read about it on a Facebook post of a school principal. I was shocked about this unbelievable stuff. I thought it is not true, I wish it never was. I checked my phone and saw several posts mentioning his name with pictures and sad messages. In a few minutes, questions on chats existed like wildfire. My friends and colleagues were also shocked. I was still in doubt. I need to verify. I decided to join my father going to the town. When we passed by the street where his house is, I saw a white canopy and monobloc chairs stacked there. That moment, I have verified that he is gone.
It is a heavy heart writing this post. Sir Edwin passed away yesterday night. The education community is mourning for his sudden demise. Many of my friends, who are also teachers, gave tributes online. I was not able to compose this early as I am having a hard time accepting it. So, it is my turn to pay homage to this important figure in our field.
The first time I work with Sir Ed during the 2016 Alumni Homecoming of Anda Integrated School when I was staying there as a junior high school. He was then the monitoring supervisor of one of the districts of Bolinao. He was one of the organizers of the event and I saw how dedicated he is in everything he does. He was "hands on" to the souvenir program. He proofread it and joined us in working in the printing press to make the program perfectly done. When the homecoming day transpired, he really paid attention to all details from sound system to tables and chairs. The occasion was successful.
He came back serving his district in 2019. I got the chance to work in different activities. I was assigned to be one of the teachers who trained fellows about Open Educational Resources. I was assigned to lead the production of Lupang Hnirang video for our district. He assigned me to be a member of Technical Working Group on research in our district. The pandemic came and I was selected as a beta- tester of Learning Delivery Modalities (LDM). The biggest role I received is when I was designated as one of the district information officers of DepEd- Anda. This last designation made me to know him better.
We had several meetings about our activities online or on- site. He is open- minded about our ideas. He welcomes every suggestion. He wants to settle things early to avoid rushing, cramming. Above all, he is a motivator. He wants everyone to shine. When we work, he is giving pieces of advice such as to try things and work with a happy heart. He always remind us about professional growth. In one of our meetings, he said, "Grab all the opportunities. Attend seminars. Study post- graduate degree. You will replace us. There are principals who are about to retire." These are words are realistic, but it is very early for him to go.
The new normal in education is tough for us. I saw his dedication in making sure that all schools can cater the needs of all the learners. He really wants that no Batang Isla will be left behind. When he served as the officer-in-charge in the school I currently working in, he talks to us on what we do to reach out all of our learners. He challenged us to think out-of-the-box. He based his suggestions on different theories. I am glad that he gives nice comments on what I do to teach learners during the distance learning. He is not just an education leader. He is a mentor and a counselor.
I am grateful for the trust he gave me even I have self- doubts. I am blessed that I was trained by an excellent educator who is a game changer especially in this difficult times. To Sir Ed, thank you for being an inspiration. You will be forever in our hearts. You will leave a big space in our agency. Rest in peace.
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