History

In 1969, Vicente Sibulo, the mayor of Naga City, wanted to put up a school for very poor teenagers who could not afford to go to high school. He invited Fr. James O'Brien, S.J., who was then the chaplain and teacher of Bikol History / Culture and Public Speaking at the Ateneo de Naga, to be on the Board of Directors of the new school. The school was called Naga City Youth Opportunity School (NACIYOS). As some form of assistance to this project, Fr. O'Brien asked his generous Ateneo de Naga University college students to train the students in NACIYOS in delivering Bikol folk tales. This proved to be beneficial both for the Ateneans and the NACIYOS students. The Naga Ateneans helped the children in their public speaking skills while at the same time they, and without originally intending to, were helped in their own human development. The children "blossomed" before the genuine love, interest and care of the tutors. The tutors themselves felt self-fulfillment in what they did. This was where the idea of having Ateneans inspire and tutor young children was born.

In 1975, Fr. O’Brien, now assigned at the Ateneo de Manila, made a proposition to Fr. Raymond Miller, S.J., who was the principal of the high school at that time. This came after O’Brien played basketball with some poor boys who could not afford to go to high school. Miller agreed to an experimental program that had a social action project, combining the Church’s Social Teachings with Sociology and Economics. One of the sections of the high school was selected to be a pilot class and tutored the children at nearby Barangka Elementary School. Upon receiving the approval of Barangka’s principal, Mr. Calibara, the program was set in action.

Thus was the birth of Tulong Dunong.

Sitting on a Sidewalk
(A Tulong Dunong Tutor’s Reflection)

Every Thursday, my class goes to Balara Elementary School. We spend a couple of hours there tutoring the kids, giving them tests, and assigning them homework. After that, we board our bus ride back to the Ateneo. That is our Thursday, another routine day that comprises our TD subject.

But sometimes, I just think about what I’m doing. It’s true that preparing so much requirements and tutoring these kids can be really hard work. But we should all try to overlook that.

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