October 1, 2026

By Matthew Alexis R. Reginio

Sailing through the halls of the Senior High School building, behind the iconic bangs and slightly intimidating glare is a warm and grounded personality. Her career wasn’t set in stone but instead was like the moon, a bright, shining sign that draws people to it.

Ms. Maria Elaine Tabilog’s teaching journey started with the hands of an aspiring student applying for college. Architecture and history were paths that weighed on her mind, but one shining star took the spotlight first, and it was education. “Why not? I’ll take it as a sign. And that’s how I became a teacher,” said  Ms. Elaine.

With every opened page, a new plot twist unveils itself, and this new page leads our protagonist to Lourdes School of Mandaluyong (LSM). Like her previous chapter applying for college, LSM, out of the many institutions that she applied to, reached out first. The same shining star is now back in the form of her new home. “They reached out, but they said they already had teachers for Junior High School, which is where I applied. And then they offered Elementary instead, but I said no.”

After withdrawing her application and with the thought of teaching at LSM pushing  at the back of her mind, she began to move on to other schools, but after a week, miraculously, another shining star shone its rays on her. After accepting the vacancy, she realized that “If it's for you, it will find its way back to you.”

Bangs straightened, laptop in hand and lessons ready,  Ms. Elaine started her new journey at LSM. Like all chapters in life, her new chapter as a Lourdesian formator comes with its own set of challenges. Aside from teaching the class during discussion, the behind-the-scenes work also poses another challenge. Lesson plans, deadlines, and checkables, while also still studying, all weigh on our hardworking protagonist.

Although her focus is more on her working life, she also maintains a good balance. “Don’t make work the center of your world,” she says.  Some activities like crocheting, journaling, cooking, and reading act as her quiet sanctuary away from the lessons and deadlines.

Having navigated her own share of packed schedules and unexpected turns, her guidance for her students is grounded in practical reality. “I know that they’ve heard of this many times,” she reflects, “however, proper time management and self-regulation” remain the ultimate tools for surviving—and thriving—through the noise of high school. Like her iconic 7:00 p.m.  deadlines, she advises students to set proper boundaries and set times for when to study.

With chapters of our lives always closing and opening,  Ms. Elaine’s story leaves one guiding light: “If it's for you, it will find its way back to you.”