School gets grant from HRRAC

CEBU, Philippines – The Hotel of Resort and Restaurant Association in Cebu gave out a grant worth P200,000 yesterday to a school that helps young women in different skills who cannot afford to pay for an expensive education.

Elizabeth Lopez, officer-in-charge of the Banilad Center for Professional Development, said the cash assistance will benefit all their students as this will be used in buying new equipment for the students to use.

The courses offered in the school are Commercial Cooking, Food and Beverage Services, Housekeeping, Baking and Pastry Production, Bartending, and Front Office Services.

Lopez said that through the grant, they would be able to buy new facilities same with those in the actual workplaces so their students would be able to practice and would be ready for employment once they graduate.

She added their school helps prepare young women for employment through training skills, especially in their on-the-job trainings wherein restaurants under HRRAC will be accommodating them.As of now, the school has 94 new enrollees and 50 second year students.

Lopez said that most of the families of their students earn very minimal and even less than their P120,000 required annual income of the family for the students who would be admitted to the school.

Harold Feurstien, Board of Director of HRRAC, said that the grant started a year ago when they decided to give more opportunities to students with the potential in their industry.

He said they chose to give the aid to BCPD because it would be benefiting students who are working hard in school despite financial constraints.

Through the aid, Feurstien said they wish the students would be able to learn more and practice their skills in order for them to excel in their chosen field.

In response, Lopez said they will make sure that the grant of HRRAC would not be put to waste and that it would surely help produce a brighter future for the students.

During the same meeting of HRRAC members and officials yesterday, the “Quest for the Best” contest was also announced. This contest is organized by HRRAC wherein the public who are interested in photography and menu writing and design could put their abilities to test. The search is the “first of its kind in the hospitality industry in Cebu.”

Another competition is the quiz bee, wherein all of these would take place back to back with the Cebu Food Expo 2009 on June 9-11 at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of Waterfront Hotel and Casino.

Organizers explained that photographers, both amateur and professional could join their “Photolicious contest,” a food photography contest that would award those that have captured “the best and most inviting dishes in pictures.”

The menu writing and design contest is for all registered students in culinary and hospitality management courses in Cebu who could design an ala carte menu together with an essay of 100 words explaining the concept of their restaurant.

The quiz bee contest is also open to all the students in the said courses and will be going through a “challenging brain quest on topics relative to hospitality business.”

Those who are interested to join the above contests are advised to contact HRRAC executive director Aissa de la Cruz at 232-5101. — AJ de la Torre/WAB (THE FREEMAN)