Ven. Pomnyun Sunim inaugurates new schools for vulnerable communities in the Philippines

Revered Korean Dharma master and Buddhist activist Venerable Pomnyun Sunim accompanied a team of volunteers from Buddhist relief organization Join Together Society (JTS) to the Philippines from December 12 to 18 to officially inaugurate new schools established by JTS over the past year on the country's second-largest island, Mindanao.

JTS Philippines has built a total of 10 new schools in 2024, although the inauguration of one school was held separately due to its remoteness. Ven. Pomnyun Sunim and JTS volunteers inaugurated the remaining nine schools during last month’s visit. The visiting delegation accompanying Ven. Pomnyun Sunim included JTS Representative Gena Park, JTS Philippines Representative Roh Jae-guk, volunteers from the Jungto Society of the Philippines, and two media members from the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation.

The first school inauguration ceremony was held for the Pangantucan Special Education School (SPED), where the JTS delegation received a warm welcome from local authorities, teachers, parents and special needs students of the new school.

“The completion of this new school today is primarily due to the dedication of the Mayor of Pangantucan,” Ven. Pomnyun Sunim told the gathering after the official immigration ceremony. “I also want to thank the SPED principal and the teachers. We thank the Army Corps of Engineers who built this school. Thank you for building it so beautifully. I also want to express my gratitude to the Bukidnon Provincial Superintendent of Education and the education officials for their concern for students with disabilities. We thank the Korean donors of JTS who provided financial support. Finally, I want to thank the JTS Philippines representative and the volunteers who took responsibility for this project and worked hard to make this construction possible. It is through the combined efforts of many individuals and organizations that we were able to build this school.” (Jungto Society)

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim established the humanitarian aid organization Join Together Society (JTS) in 1993 as an expression of the compassion of engaged Buddhism and based on the principle that helping others is the best way to enrich one’s own life. Charged with bringing hope, empowerment, and self-reliance to disadvantaged communities in developing countries, JTS is led and managed by unpaid volunteers, who ensure that all donations benefit marginalized communities. JTS carries out relief operations in countries suffering humanitarian disasters and has engaged in humanitarian projects in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. The humanitarian organization has also been granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

JTS Philippines, established in 2002, operates 51 project areas in 19 cities and municipalities in six provinces. It is engaged in various humanitarian initiatives, including school construction, provision of school supplies to underprivileged students (such as uniforms, stationery, bags and umbrellas), teacher training programs and community leadership training.*

“You just saw the children singing and dancing, didn’t you?” Ven. Pomnyun Sunim noted during the inauguration of the Pangantucan Special Education School (SPED). “Having a disability doesn’t mean you’re inferior; it just means life is a little more inconvenient.”

“It is not convenient when you cannot see or hear well. Sometimes it is inconvenient when you cannot use your hands or feet well. These are just inconveniences, not inferiorities or defects. With a little more training, disabled people can live like anyone else. That is why they need slightly better educational facilities and environments, capable of accommodating fewer students per class than regular classrooms.

"Of course, it might be more burdensome economically, but every child born into this world has the right to receive education at the right time. That is why we, various organizations, have gathered here to provide children with disabilities with the same educational opportunities as other children.

“Building a classroom is just the beginning. We must continue to be interested in this endeavor. These students need more learning materials than ordinary students, and teachers must pay more attention to them. Parents must also pay more attention to their children. Let us work together to help these children grow up well and become independent. JTS supports children’s education based on the belief that every child born into this world should receive a timely education.”

The delegation continued over the next few days to visit the remaining eight schools, where they received equally warm welcomes and expressions of gratitude: the Kalilangan School for Disabled Children; two schools in the indigenous villages of Mabawag and Bungbung; schools for disabled children in the municipalities of Maramag, Quezon and Damulog; and two schools in the remote villages of Mitapul and Gatungon.

At the inauguration of the new SPED school in Maramag, Ven. Pomnyun Sunim observed, “In the past, there was discrimination between men and women. Educational opportunities were mainly given to men, while women were denied them. There was a class system in which people of higher status were given education, but those of lower status were not. Similarly, educational opportunities were provided to non-disabled people, but children with disabilities were denied these opportunities.”

“People who lacked educational opportunities were often considered inferior in social activities. However, in today’s democratic era, we have reached a time when all individuals are considered equal, regardless of gender differences, class distinctions or the presence of a disability. As women gained access to education, they demonstrated abilities comparable to those of men. However, children with disabilities still do not have sufficient opportunities to access special education adapted to their needs. Visual or hearing impairments are not signs of inferiority but simply inconveniences of daily life. With appropriate special education, these people can lead a life like everyone else. Thanks to the teaching of Braille for the visually impaired and the teaching of sign language for the hearing impaired, they are increasingly able to live a normal daily life.

“Mindanao is facing a lack of funding for education, which results in an insufficient number of classrooms even for general level students. As a result, children with various disabilities have had to study together in one classroom, making it difficult to provide specialized education tailored to their individual needs. To provide specialized education tailored to each type of disability, multiple classrooms and specially trained teachers are required. JTS adheres to the principle that every child born into this world should receive timely education. Therefore, in collaboration with the local government, JTS has undertaken the construction of classrooms that can provide specialized education tailored to each child with disabilities.

“Today, the Philippine government is making great efforts to provide educational opportunities even to minority groups. They are actively implementing policies to ensure that education is accessible to indigenous children in mountainous areas and children with disabilities. Although it is not possible to establish special education classes in every school, central elementary schools in every district should at least have teachers and facilities for special education. We call on the Department of Education to train more specialized teachers for various special needs. We also hope that parents will view their child’s disability not as an unfortunate event, but as a gift from God, and help their children grow up without feeling inferior. If we care for these children and educate them with love, they will grow up and live like other children.

“We understand that this is very difficult and stressful for parents. However, if we approach this task not as a burden but with joy, you will receive great joy in return. . . . Finally, I deeply appreciate the hard work of special education teachers. I hope that the completion of this school today marks the beginning of proper education for children with disabilities.” (Jungto Society)

Ven. Pomnyun Sunim, the leading Dharma teacher of the Jungto Society, is a highly respected author and social activist. He has founded numerous organizations, initiatives, and projects around the world. In October 2020, the Niwano Peace Foundation in Japan presented the 37th Niwano Peace Prize to Ven. Pomnyun Sunim in recognition of the revered monk’s international humanitarian work, environmental and social activism, and tireless efforts to build trust and goodwill among communities of different faiths and cultures, toward the goal of world peace.**

* Engaged Buddhism: Ven. Pomnyun Sunim and JTS Volunteers Bring Education to Underprivileged Communities in the Philippines (BDG) and Korean Buddhist Relief Organization JTS Provides Relief to Victims of Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines (BDG)

** Buddhist monk Ven. Pomnyun Sunim awarded the 37th Niwano Peace Prize (BDG)

See more

Pomnyun
Jungto Company
JTS Korea
JTS America
Students, are you happy that a new school has been built for you? (Jungto Society)
“I am really happy that all the villagers participated in building the school” (Jungto Society)
Equality is not just about dividing things equally, but also about being considerate according to the situation. (Jungto Society)
Let hope sprout for children, like a new school built on an empty lot (Jungto Society)

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