Internet-ready school for Mangyans

MANILA, Philippines - Young Mangyans in the hinterlands of Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro will soon be introduced to cyberspace with the construction of the first-ever Internet-ready school building in their mountainside community.

A joint project of the Armed Forces of the Philippines-National Development Support Command (AFP-Nadescom) and private and public entities, the school building will also be equipped with desks, textbooks and workbooks, as well as a satellite television showing educational programs.

Military and civilian proponents of the project hope that once young Mangyans are introduced to the world of cyberspace, this would encourage them to study and their parents to send them to school. Not many Mangyan natives are able to obtain a college degree owing to the fact that they have little access to primary and secondary education in their villages and communities.

AFP-Nadescom commander, Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza said the Bulalacao project is one of the projects of AFP-Nadescom in far-flung areas nationwide in partnership with key public and civilian entities like the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines, Cisco Philippines, Balay Mindanaw, One Barangay Inc., Metrobank Foundation, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, League of Governors, the Department of Education, League of Barangays and Couples for Christ.