American philosopher John Dewey said: "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."
Education is an important tool in helping other people and fulfilling the duty to others.
I graduated Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Saint Joseph College just in Maasin. With an honor of cum laude, the school gave me a teaching load while I was still taking up my review in Cebu City. After the board examination, I immediately reported for work as a part-time CE instructor in SJC.
The college was founded in 1928 and the civil engineering course was first offered in 1973. It was given recognition by the Bureau of Higher Education in 1985. The first batch of graduates produced board passers immediately. Two out of four of the pioneer graduates who took the board exam passed for a 50% passing rate. I graduated in 1984 and we were the fifth batch of CE graduates in SJC.
I worked also at the Department of Public Works and Highways as a casual employee while teaching in the evening. I worked with the agency every vacation, doing summer job since I was in the first year college up to the fifth year.
My work was mostly associated with surveying and I was assigned as instrumentman at Subangdaku River at Sogod , Jubas River at Libagon, and Tuburan River at Tunga-tunga in Maasin.
At the Tuburan River we braved the dirty waters from drainage systems, septic tanks and pig pens disposing their wastes to the river. The slaughterhouse at that time was situated at the delta. We waded the polluted waters to finish the. survey for flood control project.
I also worked as laborer in a building repair at the Gabaldon building of the Tomas Oppus Pilot School. I helped also in the painting of classrooms including roofs of school buildings. Besides, I did some planning and estimating at the office.
The actual work I encountered while I was a student enabled me to be familiar with the civil engineers’ work in the field. It contributed much to my theoretical studies and later on in the exercise of my profession.
When I passed the board examination for junior geodetic engineers taken August 1984 and for civil engineers taken December 1984, I decided to go on private practice, while becoming a full-time CE instructor. I also did some construction supervision, surveying works, drawing of plans and making specifications.
But the lure of teaching took much of my time from private practice. Much as I would want to be in the field for engineering work, I was always drawn to the classroom to help hundreds of students become civil engineers.
In 1989, I became the dean of civil engineering, after five years of teaching. That was the time I left my private practice and concentrated on giving a name to SJC-CE and producing as many board passers as we could.
In my classes, I gave examples of problems which came out in the past board examinations. Then I conducted review classes to graduating students, preparing them for the review that they would undergo in Cebu. That would mean additional preparation for our graduates in taking the licensure exams.
I also took my students to educational field trips. This is to familiarize them with the actual engineering work conditions and construction management techniques. Most notable were at Maria Cristina Falls Hydroelectric Power Plant and National Steel Corporation in Iligan City, Nestle Plant in Cagayan de Oro City, Central Philippine University in Iloilo City, National Highway Construction in Eastern Samar and Biliran, National Highways and Agas-agas Bridge Construction in Southern Leyte, Ports, Highways and Bridges in Butuan City and Surigao City, Geographical Information System, Bridges and Shipbuilding Industry in Cebu, and Infrastructure Projects in Negros Oriental and Bohol. I also let my students study the buildings and churches destroyed by the strong earthquake in Bohol.
The effort paid off as our school passing percentage was always above the national passing. And we produced a 6th placer in the junior geodetic board examination in August 1989 in the person of Lemuel Gerona. He also placed 15th in the civil engineering board exams in November 1990 together with my brother Marcelo Michael Samaco who placed 11th.
When I became a Municipal Councilor in 1992, I gave up the deanship but continued as a part-time instructor in SJC. We produced Pastor Maitem, Jr. as 6th placer in the November 1992 CE board exams and Nilo Paler as 2nd placer in the November 1994 CE board exams. And our school passing is always above the national passing percentage.
I thought subjects in surveying, earthquake engineering, geotechnical and foundation engineering, engineering management, engineering contracts and CE laws. When I was dean and full time instructor, I thought practically all subjects including board subjects in mathematics, surveying, hydraulics, design and construction.
We had an in-house review for our fifth year graduating students. I even included it as part of our curriculum. I personally taught the review classes in mathematics and surveying in the first semester and hydraulics and design in the second semester.
When I was elected City Mayor in 2007, I did not abandon my teaching profession. I teach not because of the pay. We had a very small salary in SJC and it is not enough to be given to solicitations from students and faculty. But the satisfaction of letting students learn and the contentment of producing hundreds of licensed civil engineers are priceless.
When I founded Maasin City College in 2007 I acted as a classroom teacher while serving as its first college president. I was probably the only college president and chairman of the board of trustees who also handled subjects for free. My class was in the Public Administration Department where I taught Principles of Management and Good Governance and Social Responsibility.
We started conducting civil service exam review for graduating Public Administration students. I handled numerical reasoning.
I was able to obtain an approval from the Governor to teach part time after office hours. Part time instructors are required to get a permit from their respective heads of agency and I am directly under the Governor. I love to be with the students and I care for their knowledge and success. Probably I am the only incumbent mayor or local chief executive in the whole Philippines who teach while in his incumbency.
"Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students." - Solomon Ortiz, US Representative from Texas.
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