Balikbayan donates school building, computers, wells

HILONGOS, Leyte, Philippines — A balikbayan who found good fortune in the U.S.A. has been helping the education sector of his native town of Hilongos.

Eddie Vilbar Vega, in his recent homecoming to this town, donated 24 laptops to the schools in Barangays Lunang, Talisay and the mountainous Agutayan.

In his past visit to the town, Vega donated a school building to Bgy. Lunang and provided deep wells to Bgy. Talisay Elementary school and adjacent schools.

"It is about time that Filipino pupils in the provincial areas can avail of the technology for them to at least have the basic knowledge." he said.

"Bgy. Lunang is my origin, Talisay is adjacent and Bgy. Agutayan was one of the schools where my now deceased mother was a teacher while we were still living here," he told The Freeman.

Vega said that proper documentation and arrangements of the DepEd in the area were already in place to ensure that the laptops will be utilized for the intended users.

"The donations, as always, were coursed through the "Rita Vilbar-Vega Foundation," he said. 

Vega is the president and CEO of Vega Enterprises based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company is a contractor of the North Carolina government, and operates a travel agency in Manila.