Article by Nikolai Ordoña and Marcus Suner

Last April 24 to 27, the grade 11 students from Ateneo de Manila Senior High School (ASHS) conducted their Tulong Dunong Culminating Activities (TDCA)—the first onsite Tulong- Dunong (TD) event since lockdown. 

Together with 16 partner schools and communities, the student-tutors from all 22 sections met their TD tutees for the first time, as they had only been teaching through a remote setup from the campus prior to the event.

According to Ms. Mercy De Guia, a TD moderator, the classes were able to come up with creative and unique gimmicks to show their love and appreciation to their TD students, despite the limited preparation time and other requirements during finals week.

“We would like to be able to respond to the desire of both the tutors and their tutees to be with each other up close and personal so they can have closure and a show of appreciation for all that has transpired [throughout the experience]”, she explained.

The student tutors, along with the TD coordinators, collaborated and planned for the TDCA program to be held at their respective partner schools. 

Class committees were delegated to handle the food, logistics, venue decoration, program flow, and certificate handling of each grade 11 section.

On the scheduled day of the event, classes traveled to their designated venues through jeepneys, and were welcomed by their TD kids upon arrival.

The event was filled with fun activities and performances prepared not only by the tutors but the tutees as well. A salu-salo was also conducted for the enjoyment of everyone in the celebration.

To mark the end of the TD school year, the student tutors gave certificates to their tutees to recognize their perseverance and dedication in attending their weekly TD sessions in spite of the challenges brought about by the online setup. 

Some students even volunteered to donate goods and tokens to their assigned tutees by their own initiative to express their gratitude for the entire experience.

According to Ms. De Guia, an average of 70 students per school graduated this year. Though this number decreased from pre-pandemic figures, she still emphasized the memorable experiences and exchanges that happened during the culminating activities.

Ms. De Guia shared how meaningful the TDCA was, highlighting moments such as the students being proud of riding a jeepney for the first time, new friendships being formed within the partnering sections, and the tutors finally meeting and bonding with their kids.

“What better way to culminate everything with a program where the kuyas and ates will give it their final shot at putting into good use all their abilities, capabilities and most especially their love. It is more meaningful when the tutors and the kids can have a face to face encounter—even for just one time!” Ms. De Guia remarked.