Filipinos urged to ‘adopt’ a hometown school

ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc., a non-profit social service arm of one of the largest TV networks in the Philippines, is on the island to seek assistance from the different Filipino organizations in the CNMI for its “Adopt-A-Hometown School” project in the Philippines.

Together with the Philippine Consulate General, representatives of the foundation held a major presentation Monday night at the consulate’s office in the Nauru Building in Susupe.

Consul General Wilfredo Maximo and consul Wenceslao Gayola welcomed a number of Filipino groups—CNMI Power, Inc., United Filipino Organization, and Overseas Filipino Worker-MOVER—to the presentation.

Program director Zen Dimalanta and external affairs manager Jocelyn Saw led the presentation.

Saw said the program started in 1994 in the Philippines, aiming to uplift the standard of education in the country by providing “Educational Television” to thousands of public schools in the Philippines.

“The Philippine public education has suffered in effectiveness without proper tools such as school laboratories and other teaching aids,” said Saw.

She said that the foundation’s ETV program has proven to increase school attendance and comprehension in science, math, Filipino values, and Philippine history.

The group just came from Guam for presentations to the Filipino community there.

Saw said the program aims to encourage students to learn in ways other than the traditional method. The “Adopt-A-Hometown School” program will only cost $1,200 per package per school of the donor’s choice. The package, which will be given to the school chosen by the donor, will include a 21-inch TV set, one DVD player and 108 volumes of educational shows, teacher training video and a CD on episode guides.

Dimalanta said that, of the 38,000 public schools in the Philippines, 7,000 have already benefited from the program. The program director said donors are assured that their contribution will be delivered properly because the foundation will document the delivery through video footage of the actual turnover to the school principals.

She said the foundation makes it a point to monitor the schools and its use of the ETV equipment. The foundation also takes time to update the learning kits for the schools by providing current episodes of the programs.

The educational TV programs included in the package are “Sineskwela,” “Hiraya Manawari,” “Bayani,” “Math-Tinik,” “Epol-Apple,” and “Pahina.” These programs teach science, math, history, and moral values to the school children in video format.

Saw said that, while they are on island, they are willing to conduct one-on-one presentations to groups and companies that are willing to listen to the mission of the project. She said they could be contacted at the Aqua Resort Club until today Nov. 17.

She said their first visit to Saipan would not have happened without the assistance and generosity of Continental Airlines and Aqua Resort Club.

“Through partnerships, we hope to bring ETV to more schools and give a better future to young Filipinos,” said Saw.