Pinoy kids attend 'Eskwelahang Munti' in Guam

Nineteen children — aged five to 12 — recently finished attending classes about Filipino language and culture at the Eskwelahang Munti ng Guam (EMG). In a news release, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Eskwelahang Munti was established in 2010 to teach Filipino values, culture, geography, and language to Filipino and Filipino-American children in Guam. The 19 children who graduated on April 21 included:

• six children aged five to eight, and
• 13 children aged 9 to 12.

  The 19 children represented the fourth batch of Filipino children to take the classes in Filipino language and culture.    "The fourth session of the Eskwelahang Munti, which started last February, produced the most number of graduating students thus far," the DFA said.   Volunteer teachers, led by EMG principal Milagros Moguel, hold classes for 10 Saturdays. Consul General to Guam Bayani Mangibin attended the graduation and thanked Moguel and the EMG volunteer teachers, including Dr. Clarissa Quan, Concepcion Viray, and Amanda Quan; and volunteers Leah Santos, Fernabelle dela Peña, Alex Gagaring, and Jun Moguel.   Mangibin also acknowledged the generosity of Sabina Tamondong and her husband for allowing the EMG to conduct their classes in their day care center.   During the commencement exercises, the graduates sang the popular Filipino folk song “Paru-Parong Bukid” and danced the Filipino folk dance “Bulaklakan.” The older students performed the Philippine national dance “Tinikling.” EMG's first batch of graduates demonstrated their knowledge of the Filipino language by introducing themselves, counting, and reciting in Filipino.   The second batch, on the other hand, performed a group reading of the story “Ang Batang si Jose sa Guam.”   The fifth batch of will start its classes in September this year. - VVP, GMA News