CEBU, Philippines - Last May 27, the Visayan Electric Co., Inc. (VECO) turned over the newly refurbished single-story, three-classroom school building to Leonard Wood Elementary School (LWES), in barangay Jagobiao, Mandaue City.
Incidentally, LWES is the fifth (5th) school building project of VECO in only three years. VECO is set to construct at least two school buildings plus computer laboratories within Metro Cebu this year.
Education is a major thrust of the utility company in its CSR projects.
In his address during the turnover, VECO VP-Administration and Customer Services Group Ricardo Lacson, Jr. encouraged the teachers and students to use the facilities wisely. VECO will also be providing more chairs for the newly refurbished rooms in the next two months, Lacson added.
Meanwhile, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes expressed his continued support for VECO and Aboitiz Foundation's projects for the benefit of the Mandauehanons.
DepEd Mandaue School Division Superintendent, Dr. Virginia C. Zapanta, also expressed her gratitude to Mayor Cortes, Aboitiz Foundation, and VECO for their support and concerns to the needs of the society, particularly the schools.
LWES School principal Joverlie Canoy highlighted the importance of the new classrooms by saying, "the three classrooms will produce pupils who can read and write. This replaces the wooden Bagong Lipunan building constructed 31 years ago. Without the support of the private sector like VECO and Aboitiz Foundation, DepEd and the national government cannot answer the needs in educating our people. Be assured we will take care and maintain the school building. We will give every pupil the maximum benefit of education."
During the project implementation, VECO shouldered 70% of the P1.1 million estimated, and the city government shouldered the remaining 30%.
VECO's funds for Corporate Social Responsibility projects, including education, are being managed by the Aboitiz Foundation. (FREEMAN)