Balik Eskwela project: TF Foundation gets check donation from USC Lions

The University of San Carlos Campus Lions Club donated a check for tables and chairs of six classrooms in response to an earlier report on the need for renovation of classrooms and procurement of new equipment for Manatad Elementary School in the mountain barangay of Manatad in Sibonga town in preparation for the "Balik Eskwela Project".

The check was formally turned over to The Freeman General Manager Melandro "Boy" Mendoza early this week by club secretary Sheryl Antoinette Go in the presence of club president Derek Go, club founder Devin Go, Janet Montenegro of TF marketing department and Ma. Faith Maroto of TF circulation department.

Derek specified that the donation for tables and chairs for two classrooms were sourced out from club funds, while club member Jose Mari Gochangco donated the said equipment for two classrooms, Devin for one classroom, and another club member, Jason Yu, for one classroom.

In earnest hopes of reaching out to indigent students in mountain barangays, the foundation visited the school in February for an ocular inspection to check if the school could accommodate a television set in line with the foundation's special project, the Balik Eskwela in cooperation with Operation Damayan of the Philippine Star News which is handing out Dream Satellite units for Sibonga, Bohol and Siquijor in line with its 28th anniversary.

Located some 50 kilometers southeast of Cebu City, about a two-hour ride onboard a motorcycle-for-hire (habal-habal), the public school seemed, at first glance, abandoned had it not been for the presence of pupils scurrying about the place waiting for their teachers to arrive, the report read.

"The steep path and the rains did not hinder the seven-man team to climb the mountains of Sibonga leading to the place where the said school nestled," the report went.

Upon reaching the place, the group was met by the sight of classrooms with broken windows. At a closer look inside each of the four dilapidated buildings, housing three classrooms, run-down desks and rickety chairs were noted.

According to Charity Peresores, the school's Grade 3 teacher, these desks and chairs were even borrowed from the Sibonga Central School.

"Ako gyung gihangyo ang principal. Unya amo pa nang ipa-repair kay gubaon man," Peresores said on the equipment that actually the mother school had discarded.

Mendoza first came to the place last year to supposedly hand over a television unit for Damayan's Dream Satellite Project, as part of the multimedia tools that the company will be giving out to support the call for schools to come up with educational equipment to improve teaching strategies and methodologies. However, the school doesn't have a proper place for the equipment.

Mendoza could even remember pupils sitting on empty cans of infant formula as their improvised chairs. Thus, he suggested to the foundation for the possible procurement of chairs and tables and the launching of a drive to solicit cash donations to fund the repair of the school buildings. - Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros with Liv G. Campo