MABALACAT, PAMPANGA, Philippines —Barangay Dolores celebrated the inauguration of a one-storey/two-classroom schoolhouse for the Mabalacat Community High School donated by SM Prime Holdings, Inc.
Turnover ceremonies were attended by Mayor Marino P. Marino of Mabalacat; Carmelita Sotto, DepEd East District Supervisor; Leonardo C. Canlas, principal-in-charge of the Mabalacat Community High School joined by Danny Chavez, AVP for operation of SM Prime Holdings, Inc.; Carmen Linda Atayde, Lana Erroba, Julie Javellana and Venus Manalang, all from the SM Group of Companies. During the affair, students recalled that in l991 the school buildings in that particular area were completely buried by lahar when Mount Pinatubo erupted. Aside from the destruction of their homes and means of livelihood, most of the students were forced to stop schooling, since the nearest school was located in Brgy. San Joaquin, which was quite a distance from where they live.
Now, although older than the average age for high school students, they can go back to complete their high school.
With the entry of the SM Blue schoolhouse, the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce has followed suit with a donation of another 2-classroom schoolhouse; the Department of Education also decided to put up a two-classroom schoolhouse while the municipality of Mabalacat allotted a budget for more schoolhouses that would house an expected 1,500 students coming from barangays San Joaquin, Tabun, Atluba and San Joaquin as well as from three resettlement centers.