Turning gifts into talents: What’s stopping gifted Filipinos? 

Not everyone is born gifted. But those who won the genetic lottery may lose his or her gifts if these are not paid attention to and cared for. 

 

Dr. Leticia Peñano-Ho, the president of the Philippine Center for Gifted Education (PCGE), told GMA News Online during the launch of the National Week for the Gifted and Talented 2014 in Quezon City on Monday, "Being gifted is an innate potential that you are born with. Now, this does not necessarily develop." 

 

She said that a gifted individual needs intervening variables to develop his or her potential, and the chance factor or opportunity is one of the main catalysts, aside from family and community. 

 

"When these gifts are developed, they became talents. Talent means a fulfilled confidence, from potential to confidence," Ho added.  

 

Challenges, solutions 

 

How can the gifted Filipinos develop themselves if they are not identified as such to begin with?

 

Hence, Ho encouraged those who notice early indications of giftedness in a child to notify an expert—anyone from PCGE, for example—to assess the child properly. 

 

But even identifying the gifted children also has its problems, as many people think that being excellent at a field or two is only possible among the elite—meaning the rich, or those who were born into privilege. 

 

"Some people say that the programs for the gifted are elitist... They are not elitist because what we want to do is to be able to go out to the different chapters of the Philippines. We go to the indigenous populations. We go to the disadvantaged sectors. And we try to be able to identify who the gifted are. Nothing elitist about that," she explained. 

 

Although the group is scouring all corners of the country in search for gifted children, all tests on identifying giftedness are in English. Ho said that children who may have the potential but are not educated in the language will definitely fail the exams; thus, another hindrance on developing the gifted population. 

 

Recognizing this limitation, PCGE is banking on certain portions of the assessment tests to identify a child's potential. 

 

Ho also said that having proper legislation pushing for nurturing gifted young Filipinos will help these kids fully realize their abilities. 

 

By having a concrete program for the gifted sponsored and supported by the government, it would be easier to train teachers and other school personnel on how to identify, handle, and develop the potential of the gifted children. 

 

"We don't want to lose another Wesley So," said the PCGE president hoping the programs they suggest to the Department of Education will be implemented in many schools nationwide. 

 

'With great power comes great responsibility'

 

More than honing what is given them, PCGE also wants to remind gifted individuals that they also have a big responsibility. Ho wants to instill the value of gratitude to the young gifted Filipinos. 

 

"If you are grateful, then you give back...ang pagbabalik sa bansa ang hindi maaaring makalimutan ng mga gifted na mga tao," she said. 

 

The advocacy group also reminds the gifted youth of National Hero Jose Rizal's good works. Talented in many areas, Rizal used his skills to help those in need.

 

In fact, Rizal was a "one-man self-funded NGO in Dapitan." Historian Prof. Alvin Campomanes shared during the press conference. He served as a doctor and a teacher, among other roles to the Filipinos on the island during his exile. 

 

Recognizing Rizal as the epitome of the gifted Filipino, PCGE launched the Mga Bagong Rizal Awards to draw more gifted and talented Filipino youth out in the open and develop them as patriotic citizens who will share their excellence to the the country—the way National Hero and Filipino Renaissance man Jose Rizal did. — VC, GMA News