Tantoco donates to his grade school

MALOLOS CITY, Philippines  – Former Ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. told educators, parents and students of the Malolos Elementary School the other day not to forget their roots, as he donated P400,000 to finance the school’s special science education program. The amount will be used to acquire 12 40-inch flat-screen television sets worth P40,000 each, plus amplifiers and wireless microphones.

Tantoco said half of the amount came from Sycip, Gorres and Velayo (SGV) accounting firm as a gift for his 91st birthday on April 7.

“I told them, I will match their gift and will give it to my favorite school,” he said, as teachers and parents greeted his message with applause.

The equipment to be acquired by the school will cost more than P400,000, but the former ambassador said his family, which owns Rustan’s, along with the members of the Club Bulakenyo, which he formerly chaired, will chip in to complete the amount.

Tantoco told The STAR that he had fond memories of the school.

“This is my first school, this is where I started. I cannot forget this school and my friends here, that’s why when SGV gave me this gift, I thought of Malolos Elementary School,” he said

Reynaldo Diaz, principal of Malolos Elementary School, said Tantoco has been helping the school for more than 10 years through the construction of new classrooms, repair of buildings, donation of books, and scholarships for its graduates.

Diaz also announced that starting June this year, the Malolos Elementary School will be renamed the Malolos City Integrated School with the opening of its high school program.