ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – Educators from Mindanao placed first in all three categories of the national search for the most outstanding Alternative Learning System (ALS) implementers of the Philippines that was conducted recently by the Department of Education (DepEd).

Bureau of Alternative Learning System (BALS) Director Carolina S. Guerrero announced here that the search was for the categories of ALS mobile teacher, ALS division education supervisor, and ALS district coordinator to provide appropriate incentives to public school teachers involved in the mobile teaching program (MTP).

The search, the first of its kind in the eight-year history of the MTP, seeks to provide appropriate incentives to public school teachers involved in the program that requires much physical sacrifice to mentors who usually have to hike several kilometers to reach their clients.

Guerrero explained during a recent national conference of ALS regional chiefs at a hotel in this city that the MTP provides basic literacy lessons to school-age children in remote villages who cannot go to public elementary schools due to the far distance of their homes.

The top seven winning educators in each of the three ALS categories were announced by Education Secretary Armin A. Luistro under DepEd Memorandum No. 81, Series of 2011, he issued earlier to the field, Guerrero said.

The BALS director identified Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur mentor Anabel P. Ungcad as topnotcher in the ALS mobile teacher category with Reynaldo C. Aragon of Ormoc City, and Roderick. Guinucay of Butuan City placing second and third, respectively.

Under the ALS division education supervisor category, Cagayan de Oro City’s Edith L. Ortega ranked Number 1 even as Leticia Telesforo of Davao City emerged Number 2 with Elizabeth Larase of Surigao City coming out Number 3, and Julie Lumogdang of North Cotabato placing Number 7.

Guerrero said the ALS district coordinator category was topped by Ma. Luz Morgado of Bislig in Surigao del Sur, even as Elizabeth Forro of Davao City, and Fe Merelio of Sarangani garnered the fourth and seventh places, respectively.

She added that the top winning educators in all the three categories of the national search were awarded certificates of recognition by Luistro during appropriate ceremonies held at the DepEd central office.

Meanwhile, the Region-9 office of the Civil Service Commission (CSC-9) here recently recommended to President Aquino the conferment of the “Dangal ng Bayan” award to a local village teacher who was killed not long ago while trying to protect her pupils from a bolo-wielding amok who had barged into her classroom.

Dr. Walter O. Albos, DepEd Region-9 director, identified the fatality as Lorna Pulalon, 22, of Talisayan Elementary School who, together with one of her pupils, succumbed from multiple hack wounds even as two co-teachers and four other children were hospitalized.

Albos said Pulalon’s tragic death caught the attention of the education secretary who immediately flew to Zamboanga and then, together with City Mayor Celso Lobregat, motored to the scene of the incident and consoled with the relatives of the victims.