Filipino teachers based overseas are quietly reshaping the future of education in the Philippines—one public school at a time—through a decades-long volunteer initiative called Balikturo.
Featured in a recent episode of The Chairman’s Report, hosted by Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Secretary Dante “Klink” Ang II, the program is led by the Association of Fil-Am Teachers of America (AFTA). Retired New York educator and literacy advocate Rizalina Labanda, now AFTA’s Vice President for Teaching and Research, shared how the initiative has helped Filipino educators abroad reconnect with their roots while supporting underserved schools back home.
“Balikturo is a missionary… work of AFTA,” Labanda said during the broadcast. “Coming back to the Philippines, to our homeland, and reaching out to the communities.”
Now on its 31st year, Balikturo mobilizes AFTA members—mostly from New York and nearby states—who volunteer their time during home visits to train teachers in provinces across the Philippines. This July alone, the initiative reached around 560 educators from nearly 100 schools, offering workshops on early literacy, mathematics, science, and even emerging topics like artificial intelligence.
Labanda noted that while many of the volunteers specialize in math and science, the sessions are more than just one-way lectures. “We learn from each other, it’s not just one way,” she said.
The program, which is entirely volunteer-driven and self-funded, is a testament to the lasting commitment of Filipino teachers abroad. “There’s no retirement actually. It’s really giving back to the community,” Labanda added.
Secretary Ang emphasized the long-term value of such efforts, saying, “These teachers are planting seeds of transformation. Their work is quiet, consistent, and deeply impactful.”
Aside from Balikturo, AFTA runs other initiatives like Adopt a School, Adopt a Scholar, and Paaralan sa Konsulado in New York—a weekend school that teaches Filipino language, values, and cultural practices to the children of Filipino immigrants.
“You will be amazed when they are taught how to do the mano po… All those values that we have. And prayers also. That’s part of our culture,” Labanda said.
