In time for National Teacher’s Month, PLDT-Smart Foundation’s education advocacy and flagship program Gabay Guro is celebrating its 11th anniversary by bringing together thousands of teachers from all over the country for the much-awaited Grand Gathering 2018 on September 23, Sunday, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Organized as the biggest tribute for Filipino teachers, the star-studded event features celebrity performances led by Megastar Sharon Cuneta, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Ogie Alcasid, Martin Nievera, Jaya, Gabby Concepcion, Randy Santiago, and Christian Bautista, among others.

 
As a grand treat to teachers, Gabay Guro is also raffling off exciting prizes, including gift certificates, smartphones and gadgets, home appliances, livelihood packages, vehicles, and a brand new house and lot.
“Gabay Guro's annual Grand Gathering is our big 'Thank You' to all our beloved teachers who dedicate their life to the invaluable role of educating our children," said Gabay Guro Chairperson Chaye Cabal-Revilla. "They are our partners in nation-building through education, and we look forward to continuing our mission to support and uplift them as we mark our 11th year.”

The event is exclusive to teachers, and admission is FREE. For a chance to secure tickets, teachers may visit Gabay Guro's official Facebook account at www.facebook.com/gabayguro and follow its official accounts on Twitter and Instagram at @PLDTGabayGuro for updates.

Empowering teachers across the country

Established in 2007, Gabay Guro aims to honor and empower teachers across the country through seven pillars: housing and educational facilities; scholarships; trainings; livelihood programs; broadbanding and computerization; innovations; and the Teachers’ Tribute.
Since its founding, Gabay Guro has built and donated over 40 classrooms nationwide and provided over 1,300 scholarship grants through its 47 partner schools. Of its scholars, 800 have graduated, with 234 finishing with honors. Over 500 graduates have also passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers.
Over the years, more than 40,000 educators have also benefited from Gabay Guro's regular training programs, which include personality development, emotional intelligence, English proficiency, information technology, leadership, and creativity, among others. To promote an innovative mindset and unlock opportunities for teachers, school leaders, staff, Gabay Guro also links schools to communities and industries through workshops and interactive seminars.

Award-winning advocacy program

Over the years, Gabay Guro has teamed up with various organizations, including companies within the PLDT Group, to improve the quality of life of teachers and their families by launching livelihood programs for teachers.

The organization has also partnered with local government units to bring the "Grand Gathering" experience to the provinces through the "Teacherfest" celebration, which was recently held in Bataan, Butuan, and Bulacan, and will soon be staged in Ilocos, Cebu, and Davao.

Gabay Guro’s efforts have been recognized by various award-giving bodies including Gawad Tanglaw, Anvil Awards, Philippine Quill Awards, and the Philippine Association of National Advertisers Awards.

Gabay Guro Grand Gathering 2018 is made possible by the support of Colgate-Palmolive; Devant; Enchanted Kingdom; FINTQ; Foton; Gen Korean BBQ House; HBC; Honda; Kettle Foods Corp.; Landco; Manila Doctors Hospital; Motorlandia; MPTC; MVP Rewards; MyPhone; PECCI; Penshoppe; PLDT Home; Red Planet Hotels; Reyes Haircutters; SGV Foundation; Smart; Standard Insurance; Stanford University Batch 2018; Sun; Sunsilk; Suzuki; Telescoop; TNT; and Yamaha.

For more information, please visit the Gabay Guro’s official website at www.gabayguro.com and follow the organization's official Twitter and Instagram accounts at @PLDTGabayGuro.

PLDT-Smart Foundation's Gabay Guro is back to honor the country's modern heroes—our beloved teachers.

For 10 years, Gabay Guro has been supporting and empowering teachers through trainings, livelihood programs, broadbanding and computerization of schools, housing and facilities, scholarships and the much-awaited Teacher's Tribute, a grand gathering that the Gabay Guro Foundation dedicate to teachers.
Gabay Guro Chairperson Chaye Cabal-Revilla says, "Our nation's children depend on our nation's teachers to lead them to a bright future. Gabay Guro gives tribute to those who shape the next generation of nation-builders."

On its 10th year, Gabay Guro is set to top the last nine years of victory via the Grand Gathering on September 17 at the Mall of Asia Arena with nothing less than an explosive celebration as the country's biggest stars and performers converge in one grand stage to bring world-class performances. Lucky teachers can also go home with any one of the exciting prizes lined up— including gadgets, cash prizes, livelihood packages, vehicles and a house and lot.

Stellar names set to give the teachers the time of their lives on this day are Lea Salonga, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Jaya, Sarah Geronimo, Pia Wurtzbach, Pops Fernandez, Andrew Wolfe, Michael Pangilinan, Jona Viray, Marian Rivera, Southborder, Jay-R, Luke Mejares, UP Pep Squad, and G-Force, and more surprise big stars.

A DECADE OF EMPOWERING TEACHERS

Gabay Guro has over 1,200 scholars in various state colleges and universities nationwide. There are over 300 LET passers, 496 active scholars as of August 2016 and a projected 167 graduates in 2017. Gabay Guro also celebrates the fact that 137 scholars graduated with honors - 112 cum laudes and 25 magna cum laudes. Gabay Guro has also partnered with local government units to further teacher education.The foundation has conducted trainings for over 16,000 teachers. Today, it runs eight training programs for teachers around the country namely: Teacher's Treasure Chest; English Proficiency Training; Computer Literacy; Emotional Intelligence; Teacher's Armor; Leadership Training; IT Sustainability and Literacy; and Unleashing Creativity in Teaching. At the same time, Gabay Guro answers to the needs of the times by doing grassroots anti¬drugs trainings in schools.

Gabay Guro's initiative on Broadband and Computerization has had great impact nationwide. All partner-schools are recipients of either computers/laptop or internet connection from PLDT or Smart.
Knowing that shortage of educational facilities is a major disaster area in the Philippine education system, Gabay Guro has also taken the cudgels in the construction of classrooms in the provinces, mostly those that have been hit by debilitating calamities. There are over 40 classrooms constructed and donated already in Cebu, Bohol, Leyte and Capiz.

Brand advocacy head Gary Dujali noted that Gabay Guro carries with it an outstanding history littered with awards and citations that make all of them advocates stand a little taller.

Among these prestigious awards are the Gawad Tanglaw, Anvil Awards, Philippine Quill Awards, and the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA) Awards.

Gabay Guro's Grand Gathering 2017 is made possible by the generous support of Ayala Land Inc., Foton, Perry's Group of Companies, PR Savings Bank, Maynilad, Motorlandia Philippines, Devant, Telescoop, PLDT Employees Credit Cooperative, First United Travel Inc., Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar, Red Cross, Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC), Light Rail Manila Corp (LRT 1), New Balance, Enchanted Kingdom, Penshoppe, Filstar, Fly Ace, Flanax, Tempra, Vivalyte, PLDT, Smart, Sun and TNT.

The 2017 Gabay Guro Grand Gathering event is exclusive for teachers only. Gates open at 12 noon. Admission is free. All they have to do is like Gabay Guro on www.facebook.com/gabayguro. For more information, visit gabayguro.com, or follow them on Twitter and Instagram at @PLDTGabayGuro.

When talked about teachers or locally called as guro, I remember my teachers in elementary and high school plus college. They are the ones that inspired me and taught me different things. It's great that companies like PLDT pays tribute to the heroes of different generations. Gabay Guro (2G), the teacher advocacy group of the PLDT Smart Foundation (PSF) and PLDT Managers' Club Inc., organized the biggest-ever tribute to teachers as it celebrates National Teachers’ Month in this year’s Grand Gathering event at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on October 5.

Over 20,000 teachers from different parts of the country are expected to attend this spectacular celebration for free which will be highlighted by a throwback concert featuring popular celebrities, including Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Derek Ramsey, Jonalyn Viray, Dulce, Rachel Alejandro, Manilyn Reynes, Jessa, Dingdong Avanzado, Iya Villania, Alice Dixson, and many more.
 
 2G has been supporting teachers and students who would like to take up the teaching profession for seven years now. All of 2G efforts are aligned with its six pillars, which are: Teachers’ Training that presents new modules on Emotional Intelligence and IT Literacy and Sustainability; Housing and Educational Facilities; Livelihood Programs; Broadbanding and Computerization of Schools; and Teachers’ Tribute, highlighted by the 2G Grand Gathering.

The Grand Gathering this year featured the biggest raffle draws, with substantial major prizes that include a house and lot from Camella Homes, a brand new HAIMA car from Laus Group of Companies, an APE Piaggo three-wing van from Auto Italia, 10 PLDT Home Cyberya Internet Café setups, Retailer Phone Kits and Sims from Smart and Sun, and cash prizes.



Among the other raffle prizes are laptops from PLDT HOME Bro, laptop and tablet in-one from Microsoft, electric fan with oven toaster package from Fujidenzo, gift packs from various sponsors, myPad3 from myPhone, Cignal prepaid kits, quad core polaroid platinum tablets from PLDT HOME Telpad, Samsung tab 7, a trip for two to Hongkong, tricycle from Honda Philippines Inc., and a motorcycle from PR Savings Bank.



So far, 2G has awarded around 1,000 scholarship grants to aspiring teachers. It has enabled more than 300 scholars to graduate from its 40 partner schools nationwide. Five of the 2G scholars have continued their quest for higher learning and received Master’s Degree scholarships from the Philippine Women’s University.



In June this year, 2G and PLDT Hong Kong launched a scholarship program for Overseas Filipino Workers’ (OFW) children and dependents. They also sponsored 110 OFW teacher-candidates in their review and venue fees for the Licensure Examination for teachers.
2G and its partners have also donated some 28 classrooms to various public schools in the country, especially those that are located in the calamity-ravaged areas. It was the first organization to build permanent structures in the form of sturdy classrooms after the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that devastated Bohol in 2013. It was likewise one of the first responders in the rehabilitation of typhoon-damaged Leyte.