Would-be nun takes on special mission

Rosebelle Mercurio’s dream to serve the “solemn profession” was crushed when, three years into formation as a Carmelite nun, she was asked to leave the convent in 1999 because of poor health.

“I had bronchopneumonia at the time and the sisters said it was not a good vocation. They told me that a person with a true vocation must be healthy,” Mercurio said.

But she soon realized it was a message from the heavens. The shy, soft-spoken psychology graduate apparently had another task that was as important—serving poor special-needs children and young adults in her native Carmona, Cavite.

“I became closer to God because I knew all blessings came from Him. I told Him, ‘Now I know You just prepared me for this mission.’ Before, I couldn’t accept that I would not become a nun. But now I’ve accepted it,” Mercurio said.

For some 11 years now, Mercurio has been the lead special education (Sped) teacher in a town-supported learning center that lets poor and differently abled children, including the mentally challenged and physically handicapped, to study for free.

Patient and determined

Her patience to teach and determination to reach out to these children have earned her awards. She was one of four teachers honored in this year’s The Many Faces of the Teacher of Bato Balani Foundation and Diwa Learning Systems.

The other recipients of the award, given during the annual celebration of National Teachers’ Month, were Bagobo teacher Anabel Ponce Ungcad, the first in her tribe, based in Davao del Sur, to graduate from college; Nelfa Quinto Cepilo, who established community learning centers for Mangyans in Oriental Mindoro; and Concepcion Tababa, who helped bridge learning and employment in remote villages in Iloilo.

In 2009, Mercurio received the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award. She was recognized as one the best local government employees of Carmona the year before.

“This is my mission. It’s my vocation to teach Sped children because I saw that they really needed to be educated,” the 37-year-old Mercurio said.

She spent a few years teaching regular classes in a private school but felt a compelling need to help a largely underserved sector, special-needs students whose own parents did not think they would ever be productive.

“Once I see my students, I just can’t give up. Once I feel that their own parents have given up, I take it upon myself to encourage them not to give up on their children,” Mercurio said.

She had a rough start as a Sped teacher in 2000. Although they were supported by the local government, doors were shut to Mercurio and her team. Families of the special-needs students were skeptical.

“There were times parents would tell us their children were hopeless, that they wouldn’t learn to write anymore so ‘don’t waste your time,’” she said.

The challenges she faced surfaced from her very first class. Until now, teaching is a daily challenge as special-needs students have a wide range of attention spans, behavior and learning capacities.

Unending challenge

Making students functionally literate—able to read and write—involves many years of instruction even for ordinary children. The task is more difficult with children with special needs.

“The first goal is to make them sit.  There will be no learning if we are not able to make them sit and listen,” Mercurio said.

“There are times you’ll get physically hurt,” she said.

Mercurio had suffered two miscarriages because of physical encounters with her students. They led to arguments with her husband, but Mercurio, now mother to two-month-old Joset, said she understood as “they are also my children.”

“You just have to have strategies (and) it takes discipline on my part.  I make it a point to develop rapport to make them follow,” said the mild-mannered teacher.

Mercurio’s Sped center now has 88 students from 14 barangays. They are learning life skills, including livelihood activities—from candy-making to making reusable bags (Carmona bans the use of plastic shopping bags)—for extra income.

Some of her graduates have opened their own sari-sari stores.

Around 20 students have moved from the Sped center to regular schools, a feat for children once believed to be unable to learn.

Mercurio’s former and current students have also organized 4K, or Kilusan Kabalikat ng may Kapansanan para sa Kinabukasan.

“I get even more inspired when I see that they are being productive, that despite their weaknesses, there is hope for them to cope with their difficulties,” said Mercurio.

Mercurio said the support of both the community and the local government had enabled her to accomplish what she had.

“They (special-needs persons) are more accepted now in the community. People respect their rights. They are now more productive,” Mercurio said.