𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄 𝐌. 𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐀: 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐘𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐒, 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒

𝘉𝘺 𝘋𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘗. 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘰 𝘌𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀; 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗸𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗿. 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲, 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆. Teacher Lorelie Ortega's first assignment was at Lusong Elementary School. The "habal-habal," a motorcycle taxi modified to carry six or more passengers, was their preferred vehicle in traversing rough terrains, rivers, and dirt roads - an arduous journey courting vehicular mishaps and injuries. Aside from this, she had to deal with the terrifying sounds of sporadic gun battles between the military and NPA rebels. But she didn't succumb to fear, trepidation, and uncertainties. Instead, she summoned all the courage left in her soul to take on such a dangerous undertaking. Her burning passion for helping the Indigenous People of Sitio Lusong, and the happy faces of the children she sees upon arriving at school, gave her enough reason to stay. Two years later, Teacher Lorelie transferred to another remote school, Pirada Elementary School, in Barangay Del Pilar, Cabadbaran City, bringing with her the precious experience she had in handling learners with diverse backgrounds in an entirely new setting. After a year, she again transferred to North Cabadbaran Central Elementary School (NORCASES), serving as Teacher III and District Sports Coordinator of North Cabadbaran District, where she spent most of her teaching career. Seeing the benefits of sports in learners' physical and mental health, she pioneered the "SINGOT" program that paved the way for their winning numerous championships in various sports events in the district. Her assignment in the city gave her inner peace, but her experience among the IP communities remained embedded in her mind, with her heart still longing to serve them. Another opportunity knocked on her door. She became a Teacher-In-Charge of two IP Schools: Palidan ES and Masundong ES in Barangay Mahaba in the same city. But it took time before she accepted the offer. At 47, she felt she no longer had the same stamina for the long and rough rides going to and from the school, not to mention her lack of management experience, credentials, or degree. Nonetheless, she accepted the heavier responsibility. She worked with unparalleled efficiency as she was among the first to complete the validation process for implementing face-to-face classes in the Division of Cabadbaran City. She did this by seeking the assistance of the Mahaba barangay officials to install an electrical connection at Palidan Elementary School. Seeing her commitment and dedication, other community members also offered help to improve the school facilities, including donations supporting the learning needs of the children. Given her achievements, Lorelie earned the promotion to Head Teacher I. Her story seeks to inspire those who desire to make a difference in the lives of young learners. Her unwavering commitment to touching hearts, nurturing minds, and transforming lives is a powerful reminder that, despite poverty and adversity, a passionate and ambitious individual can positively impact the community - and the world. Teacher Lorelie has broken the cycle of poverty in her family and turned the wheel of success as an excellent teacher and public servant worth emulating. 🅴🅽🅳 𝘕𝘉. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘯-𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴, 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘱𝘰𝘦𝘮𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘌𝘥 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘢’𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵 (𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘢𝘵 𝗽𝗮𝘂_𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮@𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗱.𝗴𝗼𝘃.𝗽𝗵