TO FROM maestra Nanay

Growing up with her parents and eight siblings, Ma’am Ruby lived in Aklan. Aklan is known for having a small yet alluring island, Boracay. During her childhood, she witnessed how magnificent the former virgin island was with its crystal clear waters and white sand where she bonded with siblings and friends. According to her, there’s a river at the back of their house with mangroves where different animals inhabited and star apple trees grew. She grew up with nature. Her love for it is evident, both at home and in workplace. Communing with nature completed her childhood.

For the De Jesus family, the seas and any bodies of water would always have a special space in their hearts. It was the kind of home they longed for even when they moved to Manila during her 3rd grade. They moved to the city to pursue her education and that of her siblings. Every day, she would miss their home in Aklan, and to be able cope, her mother, a house wife, would always bring them to Luneta Park.

On the other hand, her father who finished engineering and was a local seaman would have one-on-one recitation and discussion with her and her siblings. As expected, Mathematics would always be the highlight of their session, specifically the multiplication table that she hated as a child. Although this was not the exciting part of her night, it was a special memory with her him that she’d forever treasure. No matter how hard the subject was as long as they studied together, she enjoyed it. Education was their bond, in fact, they’re a family of educators. She has seen how teachers were well regarded in their place as they’re called “Maestra”, leading to her incessant wanting to be one, too.

Adjusting to the life in the city wasn’t hard for them all because their mother was once a “Manila girl”. Adding to that, when she started attending school, she amazed her teacher with how good her diction was in Filipino. She mentioned that her mother’s vast collection of Liwayway, a Filipino magazine she would read daily as a kid was the reason. Although the transition in her life started out smoothly, she came to be a victim of bullying not because she was a province girl but because of how she used to look- small and skinny with dark skin. The bullying stopped when she showed them her wit and confidence. It didn’t hinder her from enjoying her elementary and high school days.

At the age of 19, she finished college as Cum Laude at Philippine Normal College in 1984. She topped the competitive exam in the division office immediately securing a spot in a school as the newest Social Studies teacher. The first time fresh graduate Ma’am Ruby went to her soon-to-be school, she was mistaken for a student for her shirt and jeans fit her petite figure. “Gusto ko sanang mangatuwiran na hindi ako mag-eenroll…,” laughingly, she recalled cleaning a whole room with the actual enrollees. She remembered raising her hand when the principal came in looking for the new teacher. That hilarious moment was an awkward and challenging start with her

Being a classroom teacher for 24 years, the most memorable thing she had was with her students. She said wholeheartedly, “Ah syempre ‘yong mga students… They gave me energy, and [I was] always looking forward to meeting them.” She would not forget all her students. As a teacher, she always made sure her class would never be boring especially since Social Studies wasn’t very appealing to most students. Her efforts had paid off. Her students would even adjust their watches just to have longer discussions with her. She even taught them how to wash their clothes, and how to fix themselves to look presentable, instead of just cleaning their room during Home Economics. She also pulled some clever tricks like pre-assigning the ‘whoever’ to finish the exam first would take the trash out. Her ways with them could be the reason why her students became so attached to her, and saw her as their “Nanay”. Who wouldn’t be to an adviser who’d go out of her way to prepare baby powder and comb for the whole class?

Being a fulfilled adviser, she never hoped for more. She never aspired to be a principal as she knew heavier responsibilities would await. But as she followed the vision the Lord had given her, she became a principal. She is currently the matriarch “Nanay” of Monsay. Being a principal for 16 years, Mrs. Ruby de Jesus has confidently identified herself as an accountable and situational leader. “Leadership is relational,” she pointed out. Throughout her years of doing different roles in different schools, she learned the value of knowing the strengths and weaknesses of everyone that makes the system. “What do I need to change? What do I not need to change?” These are the questions she never fails to answer during her first year in her new workplace. As a sign of respect and connection to new colleagues, she keeps her feet to the ground so they won’t feel any different from her, despite the difference in rank.

Being a principal is very much similar to how her parents raised her. Her conduct of child-nurturing projects she launched at her former school, Flora A. Ylagan High School was inspired by a family legacy that symbolized a compact relationship that nothing could defy. She implemented B.I.G.K.I.S. to save potential drop-out students and to sustain a refreshing atmosphere in school, she advocated the development of vegetation around the campus. “Every school should be excellent. Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School is a school, therefore, Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School should be excellent.” Her target in her stay in Monsay is to sustain its glory to a bright tomorrow of our nation. At the moment, she wants to focus on raising the enrolment and enhancing the trust of students.

Little do we know, there’s more to the life of Ma’am DJ outside the school. Complicated things aren’t her cup of tea; she simply wants to brew them all. Her story with her late husband is another sip. They’re just neighbors and close friends, no hint of romance until out of the blue, a night brought them to an agreement that if no one would date them, they’d just date each other. Guess what? They got married in 1986! They had a daughter and a son. She described her family as simple and closely knit. She was both a mother and best friend to her children.

Her 34-year–old daughter, Regina, and 26-year-old son, Biehn, have taken after her footsteps. Both are teachers. The eldest who used to be a graphic artist was encouraged by her mother and brother to be an educator as she envied their benefits and fun. Today, she is happy thriving as a TLE teacher while the Biehn is an English teacher. It seems, education isn’t just their bond as a family after all; it is their lifeline, too. Truly, hashtag goals!

Great things come in small packages. The small and petite Ma’am Ruby is an incredible teacher, principal, wife, and mother. She bikes, sings, dances, draws, plays the guitar, on top of being a plantita. She also loves bringing joy to everyone through her multiple skills. She is the life of any party. In actuality, if she’s not a principal, she’d be a social worker. Either way, she is able to accomplish both. She’s a part of an organization called CSG where they helped Dumagats, the indigenous people of Panay, Rizal. She spent her days spreading awareness about family planning and livelihood preservation leaving them a “seed” to plant and take care of for a long-term impact. Even now that she is not part of CSG anymore, she continues the work and even has her own house built there. She provided a place they call “Huntahan” where people freely interact, have their chit-chats, or do yoga. This Huntahan is now renamed “Maritesan” derived from “Marites” which equates to someone who always chit-chats.

Even with this long journey she has been to, she knows that she still has a long way to go. Her dream of becoming a “Maestra” didn’t lock her inside the classrooms, instead, she became a “Nanay” and expanded her homes, her family, and herself for the community. All so well, she knows there’s a lot more.