Prime Infra Foundation, Ahunan Power sustain community development

Prime Infra Foundation marked the third year of its Ahunan Power Inc.’s Tayo Na Pakil community development program for Pakil, Laguna this month by earmarking an P80-million fund for local forest and watershed conservation, holding educational outreach for grade schoolers, donating relief goods to typhoon victims and more.

Under Ahunan’s watershed plan, an arboretum and nursery would be established coupled with the rollout of an information, education and communication campaign to build environmental values and promote stewardship of natural resources, particularly forests, water bodies and biodiversity within the watershed.

Volunteer storytellers visited the Child Development Centers, Pakil Elementary School and Cornelio C. Dalena Elementary School to bring laughter to nearly 500 schoolchildren with the funny story of two boys’ monster friend.

Meanwhile, the relief goods from the foundation were distributed by Pakil Mayor Ronald James Hidalgo to residents of town’s eastern and western parts. Feeding and provision of medicines were part of the assistance to residents affected by the July typhoons and monsoon rains.

Launched in 2022, Tayo Na Pakil focuses on education, skills development, livelihood, health and wellness, culture and community resilience.

Ahunan Power, the renewable energy company under Prime Infra and the developer of a large-scale pumped storage project in Pakil, collaborates closely with Prime Infra Foundation, for its implementation.

“We have always sought to create a socially inclusive environment for our host communities, and we are proud to do so through the Tayo Na Pakil program. The program is designed to respond to the needs of Pakileños, offering a diverse range of initiatives that address various aspects of community life — from education to livelihood,” the company said.

“The strong support of our provincial stakeholders has been vital to ensuring the program’s effective implementation and to reinforcing our community engagement efforts. With this partnership, we are confident in helping shape a brighter and more sustainable future for Pakil,” it added.

So far, Tayo na Pakil has given health and resilience assistance to more than 3,000 community members; sponsored 60 scholars of technical-vocational education; conducted school-based programs for over 7,000 students; and extended support to nearly 100 trainees of livelihood and start-up capital programs.

Leah Mendiola, a teacher at Pakil Senior High School, revealed that a canteen was built and its ICT room was repaired under the program, greatly benefiting students.

She also cited youth programs that help expound the students’ awareness on topics important for the community, such as climate change adaptation.

Mendiola added that Tayo na Pakil’s Youth Leadership Program inculcated climate change and adaptation to students.

The initiatives under the Tayo Na Pakil program align with 13 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, in pursuit of quality education, good health and well-being, economic growth, and addressing poverty for the community.

One of the program’s flagship initiatives, PAKILight, empowers women entrepreneurs through training in candle and paper bag production. Beyond product creation, the program equips participants with the knowledge and tools to develop sustainable business models. In 2022, over 70 women completed the training, leading to the establishment of Tanglaw Women of Pakil, a micro-enterprise now serving as a source of livelihood and pride for the community.

Another key initiative, PAKILigtas Disaster Management Program, is an intervention aimed to strengthen disaster preparedness among community members. The training target schools and households which focused discussion on climate change, basic emergency response and preparedness, and distribution of Go Bags that contain essential supplies.

Other projects implemented include medical missions, school-based feeding programs, eye wellness program for children and senior citizens, training on financial management, waste management programs such as seminars on Bokashi composting technical-vocational trainings in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority specifically on welding and operating heavy equipment, yearly participation in Brigada Eskwela with partner schools, and cleanup drives through community volunteers.

Living up to its name, Tayo Na Pakil looks ahead with optimism for the municipality’s future. In synergy with Ahunan’s 1,400-megawatt pumped storage power project, the program supports long-term aspirations for enhanced energy security and sustainable growth.