Daven Tamayo

Teacher gifts graduating students with piglets, chickens

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ABS-CBN News Intern

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17467153735121746715382331.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Teacher Jeric Maribao gifts his students piglets and chickens for their graduation. Screenshots from Jerics Channel/Facebook"/>Teacher Jeric Maribao gifts his students piglets and chickens for their graduation. Screenshots from Jerics Channel/Facebook </div>Elementary teacher Jeric Maribao from Misamis Occidental found a way to reward his graduating students while teaching them a lifelong lesson. Geared with the proverb &quot;Don&#x27;t give a man a fish; teach him how to fish,” he saw an opportunity to teach them the same by giving out piglets and chickens as graduation gifts during their recently concluded graduation ceremony. In a viral video uploaded on April 14, Teacher Jeric was seen distributing caged piglets and chickens to the students wearing graduation togas together with their parents.“&#x27;Yung theme ng gift ko is about livelihood. So, napaisip ako… kung anong uri ng trabaho meron sa bundok at ang pag-aalaga ng baboy ay isa ‘yan tapos pag-aalaga ng manok,” he said. <div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fjericboctermaribao%2Fvideos%2F9320520031407787%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=476&amp;t=0" width="476" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>He initially thought of distributing goats but opted for the hogs and fowls as these are easier to nurture and feed.“Nagmo-monitor ako every month sa kanila kasi mga kapitbahay ko lang &#x27;yung mga parents. So, meron din kaming group chat in which na kapag may sakit ang kanilang biik o manok, pupuntahan lang nila ako dito sa bahay kasi meron akong gamot.”To ensure that the weaned pigs will serve their purpose, Teacher Jeric sealed an agreement with the students’ parents that they will not sell the pigs and poultry, emphasizing the value of giving importance to everything that they receive. Asked about the reaction of the students to his gift, he recounts, “They were very, very happy. Siguro sa mga bata half-meant lang &#x27;yung happiness nila kasi mga bata pa, [They] expected cellphones, mga ganoon. Pero in the future, they will be inspired. They will be very grateful, I&#x27;m sure kasi lalaki at lalaki din &#x27;yung mga biik na mare-receive nila.”On the other hand, parents were delighted with the gift. “Sabi nila sa buong Pilipinas or sa buong mundo, ako lang &#x27;yung nakagawa ng ganyan. So, they&#x27;re very, very proud of what I do. I&#x27;m very, very blessed also kasi very supportive din sila sa mga ginagawa ko,” he said.This act of generosity has been his pledge since 2022. In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Teacher Jeric looked back on how he started his advocacy of helping his students.During the height of the pandemic, where limited face-to-face classes were implemented, he thought of a way to keep his students motivated to go to school.“Nag-isip ako noon, bakit hindi performer yung mga bata ko? Anong kulang? I&#x27;m very, very equipped with a lot of strategies naman. Meron naman akong enough trainings about teaching methodology. So ano &#x27;yung kulang? Ah, &#x27;yung pagkain.” He said. He initially started giving biscuits; later he realized that feeding them everyday with rice meals was a better idea, stressing that students need their stomachs full to feel motivated. “&#x27;Yung mga estudyante dito sa bundok talagang binibilhan ko na ng almusal para during the start sa class sa morning ay magiging interesting para sa kanila [ang lessons].”Teacher Jeric only started feeding his grades 5 and 6 students but months after, he was able to provide meals for the whole elementary school. Three years into the advocacy, he has already given out various things such as cellphones, sacks of rice, bibles, cakes, even lechong baboy, and more. Not only does he want to financially be of help, he also wants to assist the parents in shaping the characters of the students by being someone who values kindness above anything else. He hopes that through his advocacy, the students get to appreciate the little things they receive, which later on could improve their lives. Teacher Jeric said the advocacy funds from his own pocket doubled when sponsors locally and abroad reached out to him to offer financial help to sustain his advocacy to which he was thankful for. “I’m blessed to have them kasi sila &#x27;yung naging tulay na maipagpatuloy ko ang aking advocacy despite of many challenges,&quot; he said.The viral video has garnered 31 million views as of this writing.

Elementary school teacher Jeric Maribao from Misamis Occidental found a way to reward his graduating students while teaching them a lifelong lesson.

Elementary school teacher Jeric Maribao from Misamis Occidental found a way to reward his graduating students while teaching them a lifelong lesson.

Teacher gifts graduating students with piglets, chickens

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Teacher gifts graduating students with piglets, chickens

ABS-CBN News Intern,

Alexandrea Mecky Buenafe

Published May 08, 2025 10:44 PM PHT

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Graduation

inspiring story

students

elementary

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Misamis Occidental

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