07/10/2026
Saludo po ang sambayanang Socorreño sa inyo
Sir Alvin F. Macalintal!
A HOME CLOSER TO SCHOOL🏡
For some Mangyan students in Oriental Mindoro, getting to school meant walking for hours just to reach their classrooms.
Public school teacher Alvin F. Macalintal saw this firsthand while he was involved in the Dropout Reduction Program of Aurelio Arago Memorial National High School. He and his wife, Rina, witnessed students travel as far as 25 kilometers, with the journey taking around five hours.
The distance became one of the barriers keeping some learners from regularly reaching school.
In 2008, Alvin and Rina decided to use a portion of their own land to establish the Balay Lakoy Project, where Mangyan students living far from school could stay closer to their classes.
The project provided free housing, mentoring, and reading materials. According to the Civil Service Commission, Alvin also extended livelihood support to parents of his students.
Balay Lakoy later became a family effort. Alvin and Rina co-managed the home, while their daughter Angelica helped connect the project with potential partners. Their other children also assisted with activities and helped mentor Mangyan learners.
The work eventually received national recognition.
In 2019, while serving as a Master Teacher II at Fortunato Perez High School in Oriental Mindoro, Alvin received the Dangal ng Bayan Award.
The Civil Service Commission recognized him for his efforts in reducing illiteracy and the dropout rate among Mangyan learners, as well as for bringing education closer to indigenous communities in remote parts of Oriental Mindoro.
What began as a response to students walking hours to school became a place where Mangyan learners could stay closer to their classrooms and continue their education with fewer barriers.
Maraming salamat, Sir Alvin. Saludo po kami sa inyo! 🫡
