PADAYON: ISANG ACTIVITY BOOK PARA SA KABATAANG LUMAD

The Design and Development of an Activity Book for Lumad Children Aged 12-17 in the Bakwit School in Quezon City to Continue Learning Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Tin Arrobio

Lumad schools have been a source of refuge and a form of resistance for Lumad children against the aggressive development attacks and state terrorism in their homeland. Constant threats in their homeland led the Lumad students to evacuate to other safer areas, hence, the term “bakwit” schools. These schools operate under the guidance of volunteer teachers and non-governmental organizations in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

But come March 2020, schools in the Philippines began to close indefinitely to comply with the safety measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which had exposed various inadequacies in the educational system of the country. While most schools have shifted to online learning, this has become a difficulty for Lumad students in bakwit schools since they do not have the means for alternative modes of learning. Their lack of accessible learning materials, however, allowed opportunities as to what new ideas can be implemented to supplement bakwit school learning. In this project, the artist proposed the use of an activity book which utilizes and applies art in the activities, and which they can work on even away from their classes. The activities in the book are intended to be culturally-relevant to the students. The therapeutic aspect of art-making is of greater help for Lumad students, as some of them, if not all, try to get over the traumatic events they might have experienced in their communities. This book is entitled “Padayon”, which is a Cebuano word meaning “to continue” or “to persist”, a reference to the children’s persistent desire to continue learning amidst the pandemic. The activities include coloring pages, puzzles, reflections, that are culturally-relevant to the Lumad students.

Tin is a visual artist who specializes in typography and calligraphy, but also loves to explore different kinds of visual media. She particularly likes to create art for advocacies close to her heart such as children’s rights and mental health.

Email: cristinaarrobio@gmail.com

Instagram: @cristinaarrobio / @theshytypeph

Behance: @cristinaarrobio