ABS-CBN turns-over school building to Borongan

By ALICE NICART, PIA Eastern Samar
April 26, 2012

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar  –  One concrete school building had recently been added to Calingatngan Elementary School, some fifteen minutes ride from the heart of the city.

This was through the generous gesture of ABS-CBN’s “Sagip Kapamilya Foundation”.

Schools Division Superintendent Bernardo Adina thanked the project because according to him the province would be in dire need of classrooms with the upcoming implementation of Kindergarten classes and K+12.

“This turn-over ceremony is a concrete manifestation that the Filipino people believe in education…We need to put together our resources…we have to invest in education if we want to reap a greater return,” Supt. Adina stressed.

This is also a good example of the private-public partnership which is the thrust of the Aquino Administration, he added.

In his message, Mr. Marcel Miñon who represented Ms. Tina Monson-Palma as the Program Director of Sagip Kapamilya Bantay Bata 163 said that the project of the giant TV network is not after any material return from its beneficiaries.

“Hindi po kami nag-aantay ng kapalit, hindi nga po kami nagdala dito ng media upang ipabatid ang kaganapan dito ngayon,” Mr. Miñon said.  “Ibig lang po naming matiyak na ang gusali pong ito ay ginagamit sa pag-aaral ng mga bata, dahil sila po ang tunay na bida dito.  Huwag po sana itong gawing opisina ng principal kagaya po doon sa isang school beneficiary ng Sagip.

For her part, Mayor Ma. Fe Abunda thanked the ABS-CBN project for crossing the archipelago and reaching barangay Calingatngan which is some more minutes ride from the city proper.

However, being sure that chairs did not include Sagip’s donation, Mayor Abunda pledged to give the required number of chairs of the two rooms, but she left word that the building should be taken cared of by the school and barangay and should not be made as a venue for “Tong-it” sessions.

According to the school principal Elden Fuentes, their school has 10 rooms for their 300 pupils, but one building is no longer Child-friendly because of its dilapidated state. According to him the gift of ABS-CBN Kapamilya is very timely and most appreciated.