Being a father is not simply providing for your family or taking care of your children. It takes a lot to be a father, especially to someone not your own.
In NTC, you can meet different fathers. A father to his own, a father to his students, and a father to everyone. Yet, this proves that anybody can be a father as long as you have unconditional love, understanding, and patience.
Tatay Nelson Toledo, Prof. Reymar Yson, and Mr. Rex Consing are among those who embody the role of a father in NTC. They show that being a father is merely not having your child but also caring for others who are not your blood.
A Father’s Sacrifice
Tatay Nelson is a father of three, and he is a custodian in NTC for more than 30 years. Working in NTC opened opportunities for his children to study at NTC from elementary to college. He works from Monday to Sunday with diligence, for he wants a better future for his children.
According to Jaymar Toledo, his second son, “Sobrang sipag ni papa, kasi umaalis siya dito 5am. Noong elementary days ko, sabay ko siya pumapasok, alas singko y media kami aalis dito tapos ang work niya alas sais. Magaling din siya makisama kaya siguro iyon na rin naging dahilan bakit naging part ako ng school.”
Being a custodian and a father at the same time is not easy. With Tatay Nelson’s work, he missed most of the time being with his children. A sacrifice he had to take to give them a better life. He did not want them to be in his shoes who worries about tomorrow.
“Dati talaga sobrang hirap ng sitwasyon namin, nakikitira lang kami at nangungutang as in dun mo makikita si papa na nag – iisip sa bintana. Noong nagsimula si papa magtrabaho sa NTC, doon lang kami nakapangupahan talaga. Then every exam noong nag – aaral kami kahit papaano need namin magbayad so gagawin ni papa is gagawa siya ng promissory note, makikiusap para makapag – exam kami,” said Jhayson Toledo, Tatay Nelson’s oldest son.
The sacrifice that Tatay Nelson made as a father gave him success. He could see his children happy and living the life that he wished them to have.
“Papasalamat kami kay papa sa mga naibigay niya at sa pagsisikap niya para sa amin. Congratulations din sa kanya kasi ang main goal niya is makita kami na makapagtapos,” said Jhayson and Jaymar.
Tatay ng Bayan
Being a father is not simply being a father to his own, because being a father takes lots of sacrifices and thinks about not of his own, but his family.
Professor Reymar Yson is also a father, however, not to his own but his students. In fact, a lot of his students call him “Tay.” Everyone knows that once you become a teacher, you will be considered a second parent. However, for Sir Yson, it is only by accident.
Prof. Yson spent almost ten years in NTC as a college teacher. At first, he made sure that he detached from any students due to professionalism, and as much as possible, he should keep the boundaries between teacher and students.
Unexpectedly, the class picture called One Piece shot, an adapted pose from the anime One Piece, created a bond between him and his students. Before, students wondered what this shot was all about.
Prof. Yson explained, “ang inspirasyon ko is yung One Piece na hangga’t nagkakakita tayo mga nakama tayo, ibig sabihin pamilya tayo. Hangga’t nakikita niyo ‘tong one piece shot na to. Wag na wag ninyong kakalimutan na naging bahagi ako ng buhay niyo, na sana naging tatay din naman ako sa inyo, kahit sa iisang sem na’to.”
That simple pose for a class picture created a beautiful relationship that broke the ice between students and teachers. Students also gained a fatherly figure who they can trust and ask for advice to cope with their struggles in school.
Having a teacher like a father makes learning easy because their strictness is for their students’ good. It also makes students feel they belong in the class and they can have their voice.
According to Prof. Yson, “Alam mo yung nadarama mo yung nararamdaman nila na iisa lang ang layunin namin kung hindi ang matututo. Kaya ako nileless ko na rin yung boundaries between relationship ng students at teachers, maganda rin kasi na may matutunan din ako sa kanila, hindi lang sila yung may matutunan sakin. Mula doon, nakikita nila na super approachable ako to the point na noong una is tinatarayan ko sila kasi parang inoobserbahan ko pa sila paano gagawin kong approach bilang tatay nila.”
Thinking about what you can do for your children is one of the characteristics that fathers have which Prof. Yson embodies. He knows that his responsibility is not limited to being a teacher, but it extends to being a father. To someone who is not a father yet, it is a big responsibility, but Prof. Yson has embraced it as he knows it will help his students to learn more.
Walk the Talk
Similarly, Mr. Rex Consing, a grade 10 Mathematics teacher, is everyone’s father in NTC. From students to his colleagues, he is called tatay due to his amiability. Most of the people who know him described him as funny and talkative, yet inside the classroom, he is strict.
When Mr. Consing started to handle Grade 10 students in 2009, they considered him father-like. They go to him when they want to talk about their family and school concerns which he openly listens to. He extends his role as an adviser to being a father to his students.
“Noong mga nasa grade 7 – 8 pa lang sila halos turing nila sa’yo barkada o di kaya kuya, pero noong humawak ako ng grade 10 parang doon na nagsimula, nagsasabi na sila ‘ay sir, tatay ka na naman ngayon.’ kasi talagang may pagkakaintindi na rin sila at iba na yung pakikitungo nila sayo,” said Mr. Consing.
The time that Mr. Consing spends with his students as he teaches gives him and his students a chance to understand each other. It is the same with Mr. Consing’s colleague, who also respected him as a father.
He became their go-to person because confiding to him about their concerns and issues is easy. His fatherly figures are not due because he imposed it on himself, but people respected him as a father since he deserves it.
“Ako naniniwala talaga ako doon sa what you see is what you get. Kung ano yung pinapakita mo sa kanila, ganun din papakita nila sayo. Hindi yung nakikipag – plastikan ka sa kanila. Magbibigay ka ng advice tapos iba naman ginagawa mo, nawawala yung integrity mo. Mas mabuti na nakikita nila na ginagawa mo yung sinasabi mo,” said Mr. Consing.
As a father, being a good example is important because it influences their behavior and attitude. Even with others, a good role model is essential because it sets the environment where there will be harmony. Besides, a father always hopes for peace and understanding in his family.
Indeed it is proven that in NTC, there are superhero fathers who do not only father their own but a father to the student and everyone. Tatay Nelson, Prof. Yson, and Mr. Consing show us that fatherly love is truly amazing.
In celebration of Father’s Day, National Teachers College salutes every father’s hard work, effort, and affection.
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