Japanese groups, Plan Phl donate primary school in Daram, Samar

DARAM, SAMAR , Philippines — Gone are the days when Cloie and her classmates would rush outside their classroom to find safer place during rainy days and to avoid scorching heat when the weather is warm.

Gone, too, are the times when the school children could not concentrate on their lessons for fear that their dilapidated school building may collapse anytime.

Thanks to the Toyota Boshoku and the Toyota Boshoku’s Managers Association in collaboration with Plan Philippines, Cloie and her classmates and all the 151 school children at Ubo Primary School in the island town of Daram in Samar¸ now have a decent classroom where they can learn without fear of getting wet during rainy days or being soaked with perspiration when the weather becomes unbearably hot.

The Japanese groups’ belief in the principle that having a decent classroom where students can learn without fear of being exposed to environmental hazards contribute to a healthy learning environment, prompted them to make the generous donation.

The close to P1 million worth of newly constructed Ubo Primary School, which is part of Toyota Boshoku’s social contribution, was recently inaugurated and turned over in a simple turnover rites attended by managers from Japan, employees from the Japanese firm, the local government officials of Daram, parents, students and representatives from Plan International’s Philippine Office.

“I hope that the students will love the new school and will further motivate them to study harder,” Tomoyasu Fujita, chair of Toyota Boshoku Managers’ Association, said during the turnover, as he also hoped that the school will provide students with a safer learning environment.

The association also donated school supplies and sports equipment such as a ping-pong table, paddles and basketballs to the grade school pupils during the turn-over ceremony. “We wish to also develop the children’s love for sports and we hope that they will benefit from these sports items,” Fujita added.

Carin van der Hor, country director of Plan in the Philippines, said. “This year marks the third year of collaboration between Plan Philippines, through our Japan office, and Toyota Boshoku. We’re happy that Toyota Boshoku has been supportive in improving the educational environment of Filipino children, especially in areas where Plan Philippines works,”

Toyota Boshoku Managers’ Association has been working with Plan Japan since 2006 with education as its focus. Since 2006, the association has constructed primary schools in areas where Toyota Boshoku has business presence, such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Toyota Boshoku has vowed to continue to undertake activities that “aim to promote corporate growth while fulfilling our responsibilities as a good corporate citizen.”

Classrooms at the Ubo Primary School, home to close to 200 pupils, used to be decrepit, and not conducive to young school children. Constructed in the 1960s, these buildings already have cracks, were termite-infested and almost at the brink of falling apart.

“Our children used to get wet during rainy days even if they are inside the classroom. During summer, they cannot stand the heat inside. It’s odd that their classroom, which is supposed to be their refuge in school, does not provide them with security against both heat and rain,” Nena, a mother whose child goes to Ubo Primary School, said. “Classes are suspended when it rains because the classroom gets flooded,” she said.

Meanwhile, Fe Montaño, program unit manager in Samar, noted that “Since the classrooms have leaking roofs, students get wet and become sick. This discourages them from attending classes, and some opt to drop out of school. Others prefer to help their fathers in fishing while the girls work as house helps. Young girls working as househelps become vulnerable and often fall prey to exploitation and abuse.”

Barangay Ubo is one of the 38 villages covered by Plan International in Daram town, an island that is two hours by land and 1.5 hours away by boat from Catbalogan, the capital city of Samar.

It has a population of 764, of which 405 are school-aged children. Most families rely on fishing for livelihood but this hardly supports the basic needs of the family. (FREEMAN)