Finally, power for Sultan Kudarat schools and their Dulangan Manobo students

Finally, power for Sultan Kudarat schools and their Dulangan Manobo students | Daily Tribune

Blanga Elementary School, an off-grid, 100-percent Indigenous Peoples school which can only be reached via habal-habal or 4x4 vehicles due to the rough and rocky terrain up the mountains, is the second home of 167 Dulangan Manobo elementary students from Grades 1 to 6.

With the help of OMF’s partners, primarily the Department of Education and respective local governments, Blanga Elementary School has become the first school in Sultan Kudarat to be energized by OMF harnessing the power of the sun.

Two more schools in the municipality of Lebak — Elem Elementary School and Datu Manggong Elementary School — were also energized with solar PV systems.

With the newly installed solar PV systems and three laptops generously donated by Lenovo Philippines Inc., students and teachers in these schools have been given more chances to learn with the help of technology.

For teacher Jade Faeldonea, who helped open Blanga Elementary School in 2015, the solar PV system can finally power the DepEd-provided learning devices they have.

“Through One Meralco Foundation’s gift of solar off-grid energy, we can now use equipment like laptops and TV. We’re blessed that OMF brought this system to the students here,” he said in Filipino.

Blanga Elementary School’s Parent Teacher Association president Elen Mapan said she is glad that her child can now enhance his learning with a TV set.

“I did not finish schooling, so to see my son studying in a school in our sitio without having to travel far makes me glad. Thank you, Meralco, for hiking up the mountains to visit us and for bringing your gift here. You have made the students, teachers and parents in Sitio Blanga happy.”

For his part, Sultan Kudarat Governor Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu said in a statement: “One Meralco Foundation has shown unwavering dedication to empowering communities through sustainable and inclusive development initiatives. Their commitment to improving the lives of others is commendable, and it is truly inspiring to see them join forces with LGUs and the DepEd in this project. Together, we are breaking barriers and paving the way for a brighter future for our students.”

Through its SEP, OMF energizes public schools in remote off-grid areas through solar energy to enable multimedia learning for students residing in the country’s most underserved communities.

The event was also attended by DepEd Region 12 Regional Director Carlito Rocafort, Sultan Kudarat Schools Division Superintendent Crispin A. Soliven Jr., Kalamansig Municipal Administrator Gerry dela Cruz representing Mayor Joaquin Concha, and Sultan Kudarat Board Member Soriel Lib-Atin representing Governor Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu.