Life Lessons
The Globe eLibrary can help millions of teachers and students, and it also gives Richie Feria a very personal (and powerful) lesson
Words by MARGA CONSTANTINO
Richie Feria, 40, sits quietly in his study. He just got off another call with his CSR team; this time, it was a celebratory call. It feels surreal that their Globe eLibrary was launched ahead of schedule, and from their homes, no less. Richie reflects on the enormity of the eLibrary’s potential impact. It can help a million teachers in Globe’s network alone. With education shifting online, Richie is determined to help as many kids learn from home despite the pandemic. This is a huge opportunity to serve the community, and in his heart, he thanks the Lord.
Learning in the “new normal”
Richie is amazed that the Globe eLibrary has attained new relevance in this time of pandemic, and within his first few months as CSR Manager of Globe’s education pillar.
“The Globe eLibrary is something that’s very close to my heart since this is the very first project that I was able to launch with Globe CSR…It allowed me to see how much I can do with my new role to impact, enrich, and really uplift the lives of our students in a permanent way,” Richie said.
The eLibrary started out as a repository for Globe’s existing Text2Teach videos, which were part of a program conducted by Ayala Foundation, Globe, Dep Ed, and various organizations back in 2003. These videos were originally created to give public schools quality video content on a range of topics, and are still highly relevant today.
Digital library. Students can access hundreds of books and learning modules that are aligned with the DepEd curriculum.
The eLibrary now houses hundreds of free downloadable eBooks, including age-appropriate story books that discuss a plethora of subjects from values education to leadership. It also equips teachers with training tools on the basics of psycho-social first aid, which could be very helpful in supporting the mental health of their students during this turbulent time. Richie also hopes that the eLibrary reaches parents who will now become more involved in their children’s education.
The eLibrary has already been linked to the DepEd Commons website, allowing anyone to refer to its content. But that is just the beginning. “Our vision is [for] the Globe eLibrary [to] be identified as one of the nation’s public domain libraries.”
Students can access the Globe eLibrary without load. Schools are already encouraging students to use it. Lovely Jan Cadauan, a teacher at Ugad High School in Echague, Isabela even created a video tutorial to explain its features. Source: Lovely Chan, “DepEd Commons | Free Access Even Without Internet Load Or Mobile Data”. April 20, 2020.
For the kids
Richie is not a trained teacher, but he is passionate about educating the youth. He sees education as a critical tool that can uplift the lives of children in a permanent way. To Richie, being in a company with the same commitment to the future of Filipinos is extremely rewarding.
“Globe really cherishes the nation and the Filipino people. And being in Globe Telecom and having that vision and mission truly helps in terms of what we really want to achieve in CSR… We’re not just about philanthropy, but we’re all about sustainability. [When] we support [a community], we’re there for the long haul.”
““Our vision is [for] the Globe eLibrary [to] be identified as one of the nation’s public domain libraries.””
Richie said that the Globe eLibrary is only one of the programs in Globe’s education initiatives. Since the onset of the pandemic, it has been providing connectivity solutions to schools, gadgets to students, and training sessions for teachers and parents.
Living Proof
Richie is grateful that his work aligns perfectly to his own advocacy for education. Through his role in Globe’s CSR, everything he learns at work enriches his personal ministry: the formation of the youths in his Catholic Renewal Community, Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon.
Labor of love. Richie says the project helped him realize that he could make a difference, and his job was a God-given opportunity to serve the community.
Today, Richie is in charge of 15 young men between 15 to 17 years old, as they go through Grades 8 to 12. They are the children from the community where he himself was raised. He is extremely active and passionate about helping these boys, because that formation helped him become the person that he is today.
“Definitely my work helps me understand them better in terms of what they need to go through, what they will have to go through, and what they need to learn. I can now bring all of my work experience into my service to the community.” #
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 11, 2020
