The FREEMAN Foundation takes Dream Satellite Project to Sibonga

Three-hundred seven pupils guided by their respective teachers with the district supervisor of the Department of Education, and members of the Parents-Teachers Community Association of the Manatad Elementary School in Sibonga town were one in thanking Operation Damayan of the Philippine Star and The FREEMAN Foundation after the turnover ceremony of multimedia tools and school supplies in line with Operation Damayan's "Dagdag Karunungan School Caravan (Dream Satellite Project) on its 20th year in public service and The FREEMAN's 87th year, tomorrow, in the community newspaper industry.

The foundation, the newspaper's charity arm, with its 16-member core group, went to barangay Manatad in Sibonga last Friday and the other day, which is about 50 kilometers away from Cebu City, in order to assemble parts of 40 desks with the help of parents, to turn over a 25-inch Kolin color television set with a Dream satellite dish and a digital satellite receiver as educational tools in mass coaching, as well as to distribute to pupils plastic brief cases containing school supplies in a project dubbed "Balik Eskwela Fun Day Year 2".

During the turnover ceremony last Saturday, foundation administrator, Dr. Remedios Bacasmas, shared that previously the foundation only focused on medical and dental missions, but projects later on took on a new direction when The FREEMAN became one of the papers of the Star Group of Publications.

Five schools in the Visayas became recipients of the Dream Satellite units as part of the multimedia tools that the Philippine Star gave out to support the call for schools to come up with educational equipment aimed at improving teaching strategies and methodologies.

The facilitating of three out of five units was channeled through the foundation which was given the task to facilitate certain contributions made in response to the dire need of uplifting the quality of public school education through the distribution of tools and equipment in mass coaching.

"Mapalad po ang Manatad Elementary School dahil kayo lang sa Cebu ang napiling mabigyan ng Dream satellite. Ang project na ito sa pangunguna po ng Operation Damayan at sa tulong ng The FREEMAN Foundation ay hindi na po mauulit," The FREEMAN general manager Melandro Mendoza said.

"Bayad na po yung P690 monthly subscription and then after one year papalitan po yung chip or load sa Dream equipment para patuloy pong ma avail ng school ang access to channels. After that magiging P390 monthly na lang po ang subscription, but still paid na po yun," Mendoza explained.

During the previous two weekends, the foundation took the Dream satellite sets to Tan-awan Elementary School in Tubigon, Bohol, and Bitaug Elementary School in Enrique Villanueva, Siquijor.

But what made the turnover ceremony at the Manatad Elementary School different from the past two was that there was an assembling of new desks, a fun day and distribution of school supplies.

Meanwhile, SM City Cebu Foundation represented by public relations officer Aicha Tabanera also turned over slightly used books donated by mall shoppers, and a second-hand computer unit donated by Banco de Oro.

Sibonga district supervisor Graciana Patalinghug thanked the foundation for the great help and praised the group for a "systematic, very-well organized project."

Mendoza along with Philippine Star photojournalist Revoli Cortez surveyed the school last year and reported its dilapidated buildings and lack of facilities and equipment.

To accomplish the project, the foundation met with Cebu first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas, Sibonga belonging to his congressional district, to realize the construction of a classroom that would house the Dream Satellite unit and would serve as viewing room.

The classroom is located behind the school stage, and is to be completed by the end of August.

Patalinghug urged the Parents-Teachers Community Association to help secure the equipment.

"We are very luck to be your recipient," Manatad Elementary head teacher Ofelia de la Torre said in her opening message.

De la Torre added, "we are very thankful of your support that has knocked and touched our hearts", and assured that the school will take good care of the things that the foundation had given.

The University of San Carlos Alumni Association headed by Derek Go with the Lions Club and the USC-GHS Elementary Class 1981 Alumni Association led by Ma. Cleofe Delfino-Claridad and TF managing editor Nimrod Quiñones, were among the benefactors of the Balik Eskwela project. - Garry B. Lao