Family

Homeschooling in the Philippines: how we (try to) raise a trilingual child

24 February 2020 Leave a Comment

This post is part of my series on homeschooling. Click here to read more.

A parenting trend in the Philippines that has become more prevalent in recent years is speaking exclusively in English to one’s children.

We hear this often in malls, parks, and other public places. In my own circle, I know several cousins and friends who subscribe to this approach. With one cousin in Cebu, it has gotten to the point that their daughter, even now at 9 years old, could barely understand Cebuano.

As a proud Bisdak, I find this movement dismaying. Coconuts has an interesting piece on this trend — it seems this English-only practice has now become the norm in upper-class families, and is spreading among middle-class families as well. According to the article, well-to-do kids in Metro Manila these days have such a poor grasp of Filipino that their parents actually send them to Tagalog tutorial centers.

This definitely wasn’t a thing when I was a kid in the 80s — even the rich students in my elementary school were Bisdaks through and through. While I understand parents’ desire for their children to be fluent in English, the world’s lingua franca, I firmly believe it is equally important, if not more so, for kids to be proficient in the language(s) of their community.

I grew up knowing three languages — my native language Cebuano at home, and our national languages English and Filipino in school. Naturally, I want our toddler to be trilingual too.

As my husband and I will homeschool our child, it falls squarely on our shoulders to teach these languages. Our strategy, which we started in earnest when our child was around nine months old, is to introduce all three languages at once. This is called multilingual first language acquisition (MFLA) or simultaneous multilingualism. A popular MFLA approach is One Person One Language (OPOL), where one person exclusively speaks one language to the child, another speaks only the second, etc.

OPOL sounds too rigid in practice, so we’re taking a slightly different approach, which is:

I speak Cebuano and English to our child
My husband speaks Tagalog (his mother tongue) and English to our child
My husband and I speak Taglish to each other, as his command of Cebuano is middling at best

In addition to regular conversation, we utilize many learning tools such as books, music, videos, and toys. Most educational materials available for preschoolers are in English, but we make it a point to also read books, listen to songs, and watch videos in Filipino. There is a glaring lack of material (practically nil) in Cebuano, but I’m not too worried, as Cebuano is the language of the community.

English and Filipino board books for toddlers and preschoolers — A few of our child’s English and Filipino board books

For Filipino board books, we get them from Adarna House and Pumplepie Books & Happiness. Some of these children’s books come with English translations, but we don’t buy these bilingual editions, as we want each book to focus on just one language only. I read the English books to our child, while my husband reads the Filipino ones.

For Filipino nursery rhymes and videos, there are a lot on YouTube. Admittedly, they aren’t as sophisticated as the English ones (I remember watching one video of Sampung Mga Daliri where the rudimentary cartoon character points to his ears instead of his eyes during the “dalawang mata” line). A promising new Filipino YouTube channel for toddlers is Flexy Bear — its recordings and animation, while far from Cocomelon-level, are so much better than those of other local content creators.

We only watch videos on our smart TV, as we don’t like our child staring at a mobile device up close. We limit our TV time to about 45 minutes. I will write more about our screen time policies in another post.

Only time will tell if our approach is a success. So far, our child can recognize many objects, including numbers, in all three languages, even though she may not be able to utter all of them. I will write an update in a couple of years, when our child turns five years old.

Are you also homeschooling a multilingual child? Do share your experience in the comments section.

Homeschooling in the Philippines: how we read children’s ebooks online for free

20 February 2020 1 Comment

This post is part of my series on homeschooling. Click here to read more.

BABYBUG (March 2015) by Cricket Media — Screenshot of a spread from an issue of BABYBUG children’s magazine

My husband and I read picture books to our toddler everyday. It’s an enjoyable bonding activity, and many studies have shown the numerous benefits of reading aloud to children.

When our child was around 9 months old, my husband bought around three dozen used board books from Half Price Books and shipped them from the US in a balikbayan box, along with other baby stuff. We also ordered around a dozen board books in Filipino online from Adarna House and Pumplepie Books & Happiness. We thought these were plenty enough, but eventually we found it monotonous to read the same books over and over again. We’ve practically memorized all of her board books, which include classics like Goodnight Moon.

Now, it would be quite expensive to buy a new picture book every day, even if from a local used bookstore like Booksale. Besides, we find their board book selection for preschoolers to be quite meager — most of Booksale’s children’s books are for school-age kids.

I enviously look back at the time when I visited my cousin in the US years ago, and we went to her local public library. She borrowed tons of children’s books — as much as she could fill her large tote bag — for my young nephew, all for free.

Unfortunately, libraries here in the Philippines aren’t as impressive. Luckily, my husband’s US library card is still active. Searching his local library’s catalog online, I found that they have many picture books available as ebooks. They also have digital subscriptions to magazines tailored for toddlers like BABYBUG and Hello. We borrowed some issues on our iPad mini with their app, and we’re loving it so far. I was afraid the text would be too small on an iPad mini, but they’re quite legible.

Hello (March 2020) by Highlights for Children — Screenshot of a spread from an issue of Hello children’s magazine

Obviously, the tactile experience of reading on a tablet isn’t the same as holding an actual board book, but the price of zero can’t be beat. After rereading the same picture books for months, my husband and I can’t help but be excited at the prospect of reading a new story every day.

We are not one of those #ZeroGadget parents. We believe mobile devices are helpful if used wisely. We only read together up to about 45 minutes on the iPad. I will write more about our screen time policies in another post.

If you have close friends and family in the US (or other countries with good public libraries that have extensive digital catalogs), do ask them if they could share their library card with you.

How to build a cheap DIY playpen

29 August 2018 Leave a Comment

When family and friends learned that my husband and I were expecting our firstborn, many gave us their old baby gear, for which we are truly grateful. One of these hand-me-downs is a standard-size playard (aka play yard, playpen, or “baby jail”) from my cousin.

The playard (which sometimes doubled as a crib) truly served us well during the first several months, but now that our baby is starting to crawl, it was beginning to feel small. We wanted a bigger play area where our child can safely move around and do solitary play, as it’s important for us that our baby learns self-distraction. We’d still be watching, but from a close distance outside our child’s own space.

Searching online for something that’s available here in the Philippines, the closest to what we had in mind is the ENO baby fence, a modular playpen made in Korea. However, it’s quite expensive at around PHP 9,000 for a ten-panel enclosure.

And so we decided to just build our own playpen using PVC pipes and fittings, which are commonly used in plumbing. Now, there are websites saying that PVC is “bad for babies”, but I figured if it truly is toxic, many in this country would be dead by now, as PVC pipes are commonly used in our water supply.

For the playpen dimensions, we settled on 6 ft x 4 ft x 2 ft, with each side divided into 2-ft sections for more stability and support. As for the pipe size, we initially planned to use the cheaper 1/2-in pipes, but eventually decided to use the heavier 1-in ones for more sturdiness.

We already had a hacksaw, so we skipped buying a plastic pipe cutter. It is quite intuitive to assemble the frame; no instructions needed. Anyone can easily do it as long as the sections are cut properly and equally.

DIY playpen constructed using PVC pipes and fittings — Connecting the pipes

What about the sides and bottom, you ask? We thought of using polyester netting and a puzzle mat made of interlocking EVA foam, but we opted for fabric as we had some old blankets and comforters lying around. We secured the fabric on the frame using nylon rope. We’re quite satisfied with our finished product:

One thing we missed to install was padding on the pipes, as our child might bang hard against them. We plan to wrap the pipes with foam from an old mattress come laundry day, when we remove all the fabric for washing.

All in all, we spent less than 2,000 pesos on the frame. All the materials we used are easily available at any hardware store.

Quantity	Item	Price	Amount
8	1-inch PVC pipes (3 meters)	105	840
8	1-inch PVC elbows (90 degrees)	18	144
28	1-inch PVC tees (equal)	19	532
1	Nylon rope (50 meters)	250	250
		Total (PHP)	1,766

It’s been a week since we installed the playpen, and our baby can now crawl from one end to the other. Later we plan to add a DIY pull-up bar inside so our child can practice pulling up to stand.

How to apply for a Social Security number (SSN) for an infant at the US Embassy in the Philippines

15 July 2018 3 Comments

In my previous post, I wrote about our successful application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and US passport at the US Embassy in Manila for our infant child. With CRBA and passport in hand, my husband and I then applied for our child’s Social Security number (SSN).

The process was quick and easy, because unlike in some other countries, the US Embassy in the Philippines has a Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) onsite that provides Social Security services. Personal appearance is also not required for children under 12 years old.

This guide is based on our infant child’s application; additional documents and personal appearance are required for children who are 12 years of age or older.

1. Prepare the requirements

Present the original documents. There is no need to photocopy them; the FBU personnel will make the copies themselves.

Child’s Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
Child’s unexpired US passport
Unexpired passport of the parent who will sign the application
Application for a Social Security Card. There are two forms available; fill up and sign only one. Both are fillable PDF files, so type in your answers before printing your preferred form on US Letter (8.5″ x 11″) paper. There is no need to print out the first few pages of instructions; just the last page (the actual form) will do.
- Form SS-5 (for US address) – card will be delivered to US address within two weeks
- Form SS-5-FS (for non-US address) – card will be delivered to Philippine address within five months

2. Go to the embassy

The FBU is open on weekdays (except during US and Philippine holidays) from 8 am to 3 pm. There is no need for an appointment. A few tips:

Arrive before 1 pm. The FBU staff can only access the system until 1 pm. If you arrive well before that, they can process your application immediately and have the SSN ready the next business day. If you arrive after 1 pm, they will still accept your application, but will process it the next business day.
Leave electronic devices behind. Cellphones and the like are not allowed inside the embassy.

3. Wait for the card to arrive

A week after we submitted our application, the Social Security card arrived in the mail in the US. If you choose to have it delivered to the Philippines, don’t fret — although you may have to wait for up to five months for the physical card, the actual number will be available within two business days.

If you want to know the SSN right away, provide the FBU staff with your local mobile number. They cannot divulge it over the phone for privacy and security reasons, but they will call to inform you if the SSN is already available. The parent who signed the application form can simply present his/her valid passport and the child’s valid US passport to the FBU to get the SSN.

How to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and US passport at the US Embassy in the Philippines

10 May 2018 28 Comments

Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (CRBA) or Form FS-240

Update July 2018: With CRBA and US passport in hand, my husband and I then applied for our child’s Social Security number (SSN). Click here to read about our experience at the US Embassy in Manila.

Under US law, a person born outside the United States to an American parent and a foreign parent in wedlock acquires US citizenship at birth if, prior to birth, the American parent was physically present in the US or its outlying possessions for at least five years, two of which are after the age of 14.

My husband meets this physical presence requirement, and so thanks to him, our child is also a US citizen. To make it official, we applied for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (CRBA) and US passport for our child at the US Embassy in Manila.

The process was surprisingly quick; we received our child’s CRBA and passport less than a month after mailing in our application. My tips for a smooth process:

Fill up all forms correctly
Ensure all documents are complete
Present a lot of evidence
Both parents are present during the interview

We did all of the above and were approved immediately. On the other hand, we saw several families who were sent home during pre-screening because of incomplete requirements or insufficient evidence. One family, who came without the US citizen parent, was even told to undergo DNA testing.

This guide is based on our infant child’s application; additional documents are required for school-age children and children born out of wedlock, or if one parent or both cannot attend the interview.

1. Prepare the requirements

Click here to download the latest checklist (updated April 2018). Prepare one (1) photocopy each of all documents and completed forms. Do not mail the original documents.

Passport photos. Submit three (3) identical pictures of the child and two (2) of each parent. Click here for photo guidelines and samples.
Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (Form DS-2029). Click here to download. It is a fillable PDF file, so type in your answers before printing it on US Letter (8.5″ x 11″) paper. Do not sign. Ensure that you provide a working email address, as the appointment letter will be sent there. Also include a local Philippine telephone number.
Certificate of Live Birth of applicant issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). You can easily get a copy online from e-Census (soon to be known as PSASerbilis). Don’t bother to apply if the PSA copy is not yet available; the copy from the Local Civil Registry Office (LCRO) will not suffice.
Growing-up photos of applicant. The more pictures, the better. It is best to submit photos of the child together with both parents, spanning from birth to the present. Personally we printed 20 pictures, each labeled with the date and our child’s age on that date.
Evidence of American parent’s citizenship. The US citizen parent may present any one (1) of the following:
- US passport
- US birth certificate
- CRBA (Form FS-240)
- Certificate of Citizenship
- Certificate of Naturalization
Identification document of Filipino parent. The Filipino parent may present his/her passport. If s/he has no passport, s/he must present two (2) other digitized government-issued IDs.
Evidence of American parent’s physical presence in the US. This is important; the application will be denied if the US citizen parent cannot conclusively demonstrate that s/he fulfills the residence requirement. Present as much hard evidence as possible, including old passports, school transcripts, Form W-2s, and medical treatment records. Military members or veterans can also submit a Statement of Service or Report of Separation (DD Form 214). Time abroad counts towards residency only if it was:
- as a member of the US armed forces in honorable status
- as an employee of the US government or other qualifying organizations
- as a dependent unmarried child of any of the above
Certificate of Marriage of parents issued by the PSA. You can easily get a copy online from e-Census (soon to be known as PSASerbilis). The copy from the LCRO will not suffice.
Evidence of mother’s pregnancy. The more evidence, the better. Personally we presented the following:
- ultrasound reports with images (sonograms)
- 20 pictures of myself while pregnant, each labeled with the date and location
- hospital billing statements and receipts
- hospital certification of confinement for myself and our child
Evidence of parents being in the same location at the time of conception. We presented boarding passes along with our passports.
Evidence of parents’ relationship prior to conception. The more evidence, the better. Personally we submitted 20 pictures of the two of us together, spanning from the start of our relationship to just before our child was conceived, including several from our civil wedding. My husband and I like to travel, so we presented more boarding passes along with our old passports.

If you don’t have enough evidence to establish filiation of your child, fret not. There is always DNA testing, which is the last resort because it’s expensive and time-consuming. However, do not initiate DNA testing unless recommended to do so by the consular officer. Click here for more information on this option.

Application for a US Passport (Form DS-11). Click here to fill out the form online. Download and print the resulting PDF file on US Letter paper, but do not sign.
Declaration of No Social Security Number (SSN). Click here to download (embedded below). SSN is a required field in Form DS-11. Obviously our child doesn’t have one yet, so we entered all zeros in the field as instructed and submitted this signed declaration.

Declaration_of_no_SSN

2. Send the application

Arrange the photocopies of the requirements in the above order and mail, along with the signed checklist, via courier to the following address:

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
CITIZENSHIP AND PASSPORT UNIT
AMERICAN CITIZEN SERVICES
CONSULAR SECTION
1201 ROXAS BOULEVARD
MANILA 0930

3. Wait for the appointment email

A few days after we sent the package, we received the appointment letter in the email address we indicated in Form DS-2029.

4. Prepare for the interview

A few tips:

Ensure all original forms and documents are complete. Arrange them in the same order as the checklist, then place inside a waterproof plastic zip envelope for protection.
Arrive in Manila at least a day before and check in at a nearby hotel. This is highly recommended for those coming from outside Metro Manila, in order to avoid missing the interview due to flight delays and/or traffic jams. We recommend staying at City Garden Suites, a good mid-price hotel within short walking distance from the embassy. Click here for other accommodation options near the embassy.
Leave electronic devices behind. Cellphones and the like are not allowed inside the embassy.
Bring full payment of CRBA, passport, and delivery fees. The CRBA application fee is USD $100. Click here for the latest schedule of passport fees (updated February 2018). The embassy cashier accepts either cash (US dollars or Philippine pesos) or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Diners Club International). Delivery is handled by a third-party courier, AIR21, which accepts cash only.

5. Go to the embassy

Be sure to arrive at the embassy with your child 30 minutes before your appointment time. There will be a throng of US visa applicants queueing outside, but CRBA applicants do not need to fall in line; simply go straight to the entrance for US citizens.

Once inside, go to American Citizen Services (ACS) on the second floor. Pay the CRBA and passport fees at the cashier, then wait for your turn. When your child’s name is called, proceed to the correct counter window for pre-screening.

Present all your original forms and documents. If everything is in order, you will proceed to the final interview with the approving consular officer. While waiting for the interview, you can pay the delivery fees at the AIR21 booth on the same floor.

Our final interview was quick and pleasant, as most of the probing questions were already asked during pre-screening. We signed the CRBA and passport application forms in front of the consular officer, who then returned our original documents. Finally, the officer confirmed that our child is a US citizen, and has been one since birth. We said our goodbyes, left the embassy, and that’s it. Our child’s CRBA was delivered to our address two weeks later. The passport arrived shortly after.

Want to also apply for a Philippine passport for your dual citizen child? Click here to read about our experience.

How to apply for a Philippine passport for an infant at the Department of Foreign Affairs

21 April 2018 Leave a Comment

It is quite easy to procure a Philippine passport for your newborn baby. It was the first thing my husband and I did after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) copy of our child’s birth certificate finally became available, because in addition to being a travel document, a passport serves as a form of identification and proof of citizenship.

Unlike regular applicants, minors seven years old and below do not need to make an online appointment. Personally, all my husband and I did was show up with our child at the nearest Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) office with the following documents:

Completed and signed application form. Click here to download the latest passport application form for minors (embedded below). It is a fillable PDF file, so you can conveniently type in your answers before printing it double-sided on A4 paper. If you don’t have a printer at home, the DFA office has blank forms that you can fill up onsite. Still, I highly suggest printing it beforehand to save time.

DFA_minor_passport_application_form

Child’s Certificate of Live Birth issued by the PSA. You can easily get a copy online from e-Census (soon to be known as PSASerbilis). There is no need to photocopy the certificate, as the DFA will need and keep the original.
Photocopies of information pages of our Philippine passports. My husband and I presented our original passports for verification.
Photocopy of our Certificate of Marriage issued by the PSA. We presented the original for verification.

And that’s it. After paying the passport fee at the cashier, we didn’t wait long for our child’s turn at picture taking and data encoding. All in all, we spent less than half an hour at the DFA office. Kudos to the DFA for making passport application for young children a quick and painless one. (Now, if only they could likewise improve the process for regular applicants…)