FEATURE: 11th IB's Lakbay Aral w/ schoolkids of Guihulngan

CEBU, Philippines - A sense of fulfillment. This was how Lt. Von Ryan Gomez described his experience with the pupils of Binobohan Elementary School during their "Lakbay Aral" last week. 

At least 61 elementary pupils got the chance to tour around the different establishments in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.

Gomez said it was the first time these children have gone to such places, which overwhelmed them, as most of them having lived their lives only in the hinterlands of Guihulngan

"Nilapitan ako nung isang teacher at sinabi niya sa akin na kung sana nasa lugar ako ng mga bata, mararamdaman ko talaga kung gaano sila kasaya (One of their teachers approached and told me that if I was in the shoes of these kids, most likely I would also feel the happiness they're feeling)," Gomez said.

Gomez together with other soldiers accompanied the children to different establishments, riding the Guihulngan City Bus, in Dumaguete City. They first dropped by at McDonalds where they took their snacks, which was sponsored by the Negros Oriental High School Batch '94, headed by Jennifer Villan, and Batch '95, headed by Aidaline Arabe.

The children were elated with the first-time experience of eating in one of the famous fast food chains in the country. The group then visited the historic BelFry Tower and Dumaguete Cathedral, after which they went around the downtown area of the city where various buildings fascinated most of them.

The group's next stop was the Sidlakang Negros Village where the schoolchildren got amazed seeing the various replica houses there that represented the different cities and municipalities of Negros Oriental. They then took a glimpse of the sports complex of the city.

Afterwards, the group had its lunch at the Eco-Kalan Beach Resort before proceeded to the Robinson's Place, particularly at Jollibee where they, surprisingly, were given school bags and supplies after being treated with snacks.

The pupils were later taken back to their place in Brgy Binobohan after a 'traditional boodle fight' at the battalion's headquarters in Brgy Mckinley, Guihulngan City.

Lieutenant Col. Ramil Bitong, 11th IB commander, said the activity was made possible through Baby Jambora, head of the Oriental Negros Childrens Advocacy Network (ONCAN) of Dumaguete, Eliuteria Baquilta of the DepEd Guihulngan City Division, Negros Oriental HS Batches '94 and '95, and Mayor Ernesto Reyes of Guihulngan City.

The Philippine Army will continue initiating programs that will benefit the youth and the entire community, said Bitong, adding that students, parents, teachers and barangay officials have appreciated the soldiers' effort in giving joy to the children of Binobohan, 17 kilometers from the city's poblacion.

The activity dubbed "Bayanihan Para sa Kabataan, Lakbay Aral Para sa Karunungan" was the 3rd Lakbay-Aral by the 11th IB and its first partnership with ONCAN. The first was last May 28 with the 10 scholars of the Lapu-lapu Educational Assistance Program (LEAP), while the second was last June 24 with children of Brgy. Mabunga Elementary School, also in partnership with the Dumaguete Press Club. 

Lakbay-Aral was aimed to widen the horizon of school children, and help them create a positive outlook in life by exposing them to other people, places and events/ activities outside their communities. It further strengthens the AFP's linkage with the various peace and security stakeholders in the province. — CentCom