Private sector boosts Sarangani education program

ALABEL, Sarangani, Philippines – Military vehicles in convoy from the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion and its mechanized infantry strategically occupied the field. But what they brought were 30,000 books as part of a massive public-private sector initiative to improve education in seven municipalities in the province, in an unprecedented three-day “education revolution” last week. 

With a battle order of hitting the 1:1 student-to-book ratio for 61 elementary schools or approximately 30,000 Grades 1 and 2 elementary students, the Department of Education (DepEd), local government units, minerals development company Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI), power firm Conal Holdings Corp., Nestle Philippines, Synergia, Unionbank and units of the 73rd IB joined hands for the initiative.

Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez challenged the public-private sector coalition to sustain the initiative.

“Our province used to register the lowest marks in the National Achievement Tests. In 2006, we had a 41 percent average and we increased it to 69 percent this year. We will do better,” Dominguez said.

The private companies led by SMI turned over at least P10 million in cash, goods, pledges, and funding to the Quality Education for Sarangani Today (QUEST), a pet project of the governor.

“We are joining the Sarangani education revolution because we understand that education is the key to prosperity and SMI is committed to helping the children through education,” said SMI general manager Mark Williams.

SMI is the government contractor for the Tampakan copper-gold project in neighboring South Cotabato.

The project is touted to be the largest single foreign investment in the country with an estimated project cost of more than $6 billion.

“We cannot over-emphasize the importance of education for national development. Most businesses today in the Philippines are aware of this,” Williams said.

SMI’s social development programs are a welcome boost to government education initiatives, especially in Region 12.

The minerals development company has been cited in 2009 as the most active stakeholder for the education sector by DepEd for contributing P14 million worth of scholarships for thousands of elementary, secondary and tertiary students.

SMI has also facilitated the construction of several school buildings in Region 12, the development of an indigenous people’s curriculum, and the production of textbooks and other school materials.

As one of the active members of the Democratizing Reading Among Mindanaon (DREAM) project, SMI has been continuously supporting wage subsidies for teachers as well as the conduct of adult literacy classes in the region.

“We are committed to the sustainable development of human capital through education because we believe better opportunities are presented to people through education,” said Williams.