Accountant. Administrative Assistant. Advertising executive. Actress. Airport Police. Animator. Architect. Artist. Athlete. Band member. Bank Manager. Builder. Caterer. Chef. Coach. Composer. Computer programmer. Contractor. Dancer. Designer (of Clothing, Toys, Landcapes, Homes). Development Worker. Doctor. Economist. Editor. Engineer. Enlisted personnel: US Marines, Navy. Entrepreneur. Event Organizer/Coordinator. Film maker. Fitness Expert and Trainer. Flight Attendant. Food technologist. Freelance Photographer. Guidance Counsellor. IT specialist. Journalist. Lawyer. Librarian. Marketing Manager. Martial Arts Instructor. Media practitioner. Medical technologist.. Musician. Nurse. Occupational therapist. Office Manager. Parent. Performer. Photojournalist. Physical therapist. Pilot. Political leader. Producer. Public Civil Servant. Researcher. Restaurant owner. Scientist. Social Activist. Sound Engineer. Start-up Co-Founder. Statistician. Student. Stylist. Theater Actor/Actress. Teacher. Visual Artist. Writer.
For each of the above, there are several names and faces of now grown-up COL alumni embedded in our hearts and minds – the “Batang COL” – as we fondly refer to them, who were nurtured and taught within ‘Barangay COL’, who created their own dreams and pursued them.
Facebook, Instagram and other media have become meaningful ways of staying in touch with the Batang COL and their parents; of being introduced to their own children and growing families or their colleagues in their workplaces all over the world. Social media help us remain connected as a village – composed of children, parents, grandparents, teachers and other partners – who dared to be pioneers in progressive education in the Philippines. It is reassuring to see that the goals of progressive education are being achieved. Close to four decades and there they are now, several hundreds of former Batang COL: compassionate, inventive, critical thinkers, ‘climbing their own mountains as high as possible’ and helping to build a better world.
– Teacher Feny
Testimonials
“COLF is a place where I learned about discipline without having to wear a uniform, where I learned to look at respect beyond one’s authority, appearance and status.”– Linlin Gallardo, HS Batch ’95
BS Psych graduate, St. Joseph’s College
“I believed in the philosophy and the way children were treated, kaya I returned (as a teacher) because I valued the teachers and my experience, so I wanted to give back what I learned to the new CL kids.”
– Pat Marcelo, Elem Batch ’90
Graduate of Psychology, Ateneo de Manila
COLF Teacher 1998-2000
“I can say that if I didn’t attend COLF, or more appropriately, allow COLF to contribute to my growth as one person, I wouldn’t be as “free” in my way of thinking as opposed to if I were to attend a more traditional institution.”
– Hiyas Omaña, Early Childhood to HS Batch ’95
Graduate of BFA in New Media Arts and a certificate in Journalism,
Arizona State University (Summa Cum Laude), Toy Designer and Freelance Illustrator/Writer
“When I was in CL, I learned to value myself as an individual. At a young age, I learned that any kind of freedom required “responsibility”.
– Pio Granada, Early Childhood to HS Batch ’96
Computer Science Graduate, De La Salle University
“Growing up as a COLF kid “I don’t just read and memorize but I also understand…” This has helped me not just in my school work but also in lessons in life.”
– Paolo Tiongson, Elementary to HS Batch ’97
Graduate of Music, UP Diliman
“Students who go to Community develop a healthy attitude towards school because their learning experience is made more enjoyable.
I myself learned how to relate with special children in my class as well as with other classmates who are not my age. That’s why Community can boast that even before Gender Sensitivity and Politically Correct came into fashion, COL students were already applying these concepts.”
– Oscar Edmund Francisco, the first Elementary School graduate
Broad Comm graduate, UP Diliman