Geraldo “Jek” Borongan Jumawan is a multi-awarded teacher recognized for his innovative teaching practices and his dedication to his artistic passion as a filmmaker.

He is currently serving as a Master Teacher at the Senior High School at Lagro National High School in Quezon City, teaching Grade 11 ABM (Accountancy, Business, and Management) strand with the subjects Filpino, Komunikasyon at Panaliksik sa Wika at Kulturang Filipino.

A teacher for 25 years, he has been a recipient of several teaching accolades, including being named the Top 5 National Finalist in the 2019 Gawad Geny Lopez Jr.’s Bayaning Gurong Pilipino (Filipino Hero Teacher) and the 2015 Ulirang Guro sa Filipino by the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino.

As a filmmaker and film actor, he received the Ani ng Dangal from the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for the years 2021 and 2023. Jek is also a four-time honoree of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) as a film ambassador.

“Gusto ko lang mawala sa Davao, kasi at that time, marami pagsubok gaya ng problemang pinansyal. Sa tingin ko nung panahong yun ang hirap tapusin ng kolehiyo,” Jek tells one of his reasons for leaving Davao City.

He went to live with his elder sister in Antipolo, but he soon left his sibling as he found work in department stores around Makati and Quezon City.

“Gusto ko magtrabaho sa mga department stores, kasi masaya doon,” Jek says. He worked as a contractual employee, becoming a sales clerk and a bagger, until he became a permanent employee at a sporting goods store.

While working, he enrolled at the Republican College and took up a Bachelor of Science in Filipino Education.

He took up a job writing for komiks and pocket books, which became lucrative enough for him to stop working at the sporting goods store. His writing job enabled him to sustain his expenses and finish his studies.

“Nung high school ako sa Davao nagtitinda ako komiks sa tapat ng carinderia naming may portion doon sa komiks na bagong dugo na naghahanap sila ng bagong writer, sinubukan ko nagpasa ako ng script at nailathala naman, nalagyan ng drawing,” Jek said of his days as a komiks writer.

Jek enjoyed writing stories for komiks his genre included comedy, horror, and sex trips (ST).

“Kasi umalis ako Davao, 8-9 years ako hindi magisip mag aral. Ayaw ko muna isipin pressure sa pag-aaral pero nag e-enjoy ako magsulat,” he said.

After graduating from Republican College, he worked as an instructor at the same school. When he passed the Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET), he applied for a position at a public school and was accepted at the Commonwealth High School in Quezon City.

A year later, he got a permanent teaching position at Lagro National High School, where he teaches to this day.

In 1999, he founded the Teatro Oktubre Nueve in Lagro, where they conducted theatrical workshops and productions, which eventually led him to pursue a passion for film.

He said the turning point was meeting the filmmakers he had long admired while watching indie films in the CCP.

“Nakakainspire kasi kung ma-meet mo ang mga personalidad na hinahangaan mo gaya nila direk Brillante Mendoza, at Arnel Mardoquio, nakaka inspire sila nasabi ko sa sarili na gagawa ako film, mga magagandang ginagawa nila tinuturing kong ehemplo at siyang ginagaya ko,” he said.

He joined filmmaking workshops, particularly those conducted by the Mowelfund (Movie Workers Welfare Fund). In 2010, he established the Sine Bahandi Youth Filmmakers Club, where he shared his artistic passion with his students.

“Mag labing tatlong taon na kami dahil sa magandang pagtanggap ng punong guro,” he says of the club.

Sine Bahandi would conduct free film appreciation workshops and screenings at the school and in the community.

Jek says he is proud of his students, who have also won accolades in the different film competitions. “Nakakataba ng puso kasi ang hilig ko ay naging hilig na rin nila at kanila itong pinaghusayan,” he says.

Jek has appeared in more than 30 short films. He also acted in several independent full-length films, such as “Last Supper No. 3”, “Rindido”, “Juramentado”, and “Excuse Me Po.”

He has won countless international acting awards in countries such as India, Switzerland, France, and Venezuela.

His films are also used as a teaching method, an innovation that has been recognized. These works also promote regional languages, as Jek uses the language of the place where the film was set.

However, with his teaching job, he is only available on weekends for shooting films. Also, as he is producing advocacy films, he has to dig into his pockets to fund his production.

Jek says despite his limited budget. he has a cardinal rule in his production: the crew and talents will not go hungry while shooting. “Huwag sila gutumin,” he said. 

In his shoots, he collaborates with Samahan Kaagapay ng mga Independent Artists, whose members are teachers, film talents, and other artists in the community.

As a message to his students who wanted to pursue their artistic passion, Jek has this to say:

 “Lahat ng gawa samahan ng puso, kapag ang isang obra may kalakip na puso hindi ka maliligaw,” masasabi mong puso dahil pursigido kang mapabuti at pagandahin ito. At makikita ito ng mga tao, ng iyung audience.” (RGA/PIA Davao)