About the project:

We believe humans need to be developed holistically – where both the mind and the heart are given equal focus in order to produce a whole person.

Project 12 aims to introduce a groundbreaking educational system that places equal emphasis on nurturing Emotional Intelligence (EQ) alongside intellectual intelligence (IQ) from K-12.   By integrating EQ development throughout the curriculum in both public and private schools in the Philippines, students will cultivate emotional awareness, empathy, and resilience from an early age, while advancing to emotional regulation, conflict resolution, and effective communication as they progress through the grades.

Our mission is to create well-rounded individuals equipped with healthy coping skills needed to navigate through the myriad of human emotions. Our long-term vision is to develop a resilient generation that’s highly empathic, solution-focused, and conscience-driven, empowered to embrace their calling and play a vital role in shaping a brighter world for all.

Rationale: 

We live in a very broken world where drug addiction, teenage pregnancy, road rage, broken homes, mass shootings, bullying, suicide, to name a few, have become a norm.  In the Philippines, a 2019 data show that 2.2 out of 100,000 people have committed suicide and the rate has gone higher during the pandemic.  This figure doesn’t count the unsuccessful attempts.

Yes, we are aware of the efforts of governments, non-profit organizations, groups and concerned individuals that have come up with solutions to combat this global crisis, spending billions, even trillions, in addressing these issues. Still, the problems have deeply rooted and overwhelmed societies globally.  It’s tantamount to having a mental health pandemic spanning centuries.  Suicide and crime rates increase annually.

Globally, we have developed a school system where math, science, language and arts and other important subjects are taught on a daily basis.  Knowledge has exploded exponentially in the last century that we have reached the moon, and are now attempting to even reach Mars. Yet in all these, we have sadly failed to master our own emotions. Why is this?

We believe the answer was given 2400 years ago by one of the world’s greatest minds, Aristotle, he said that “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”  Sadly, history will show us that mankind still hasn’t learned this valuable lesson.  Our education system, even worldwide, has focused mainly on developing the I.Q., neglecting a very crucial part of human development - emotional intelligence (EQ).  Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions and the emotions of others. It's an essential skill that can have a significant impact on a child's success in various areas of life, including academics, relationships, and personal well-being.

We are emotional beings and we make choices and decisions daily based on our emotions, but if these emotions are not processed in a healthy manner, they can lead to varied social issues. When we make decisions based on unregulated emotions then I.Q. becomes irrelevant. Undeveloped EQ affects our behavior, which in turn affects societies and governments.  All thru these years, we have been developing “half a person” – just the IQ.  Yet the truth is that balance is important - where both the mind (IQ) and the heart (EQ) are developed at the same time.   

We are familiar with the term “well-rounded individuals” – but have we really produced these?  We have heard about “holistic learning”? But have we truly achieved this?   Perhaps not, because even with the most advanced curriculum that has been implemented in first world countries, we are still plagued with all these social issues on a global scale.  Developing mainly the I.Q. is absolutely not sufficient simply because people with low or undeveloped E.Q. have less understanding of themselves, how much more their understanding of others.

Psychologist and New York Times science writer Daniel Goleman was one of the first people to propose that emotional intelligence (EQ) matters more than a person’s intelligence (IQ).  A person with a high E.Q. can elevate one’s I.Q. but the reverse may not exactly be true. I.Q without E.Q is catastrophic. Studies have shown that only 20% of success is attributed to I.Q, 80% of a person’s success depends on EQ.  Yes, the major determinants of success are social and emotional intelligence. Therefore, the formula to success is IQ plus EQ - IQ builds intelligence, while EQ builds character. Yet there's very little emphasis put on developing emotional intelligence. 

Educators now recognize that emotional intelligence is every bit as important to learning as IQ. Quite a number of schools throughout the world currently incorporate “social and emotional learning” or SEL in their curricula using the 5 basic components of Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman.  Parents, schools, communities, and societies from around the world agree that building social and emotional competencies is important. Systemic approaches to SEL are carried out in the context of a consistent, multi-layered educational system of relationships that support, integrate, and sustain social and emotional learning synergistically across contexts and over time.  In some schools, courses geared toward developing emotional intelligence are mandatory.

We believe that there is a need to creating major changes in the educational system, and by major we mean adding a core class or subject that will tackle the development of a person’s emotional intelligence from the very beginning - from Kinder to grade 12, just like Math or Science.  Core classes are taught daily, not sporadically, because this is where mastery is achieved.  

Imagine a world where both mind and heart are balanced – where social issues are lowered down to levels never seen before. That’s our end goal! The time to act is NOW.