EDC distributes cash aid to company scholars

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, Oct. 18  -- The country’s giant geothermal power producer based in Leyte handed out on Tuesday PHP1.6 million worth of assistance and stipend to its student scholars.

The Energy Development Corporation (EDC) gave half of its financial help for the whole year to 16 elementary schools in Kananga town and in this city as miscellaneous fees for selected scholars in Grades 7 to 10.

This is aside from the PHP716,925 cash that were directly given to 460 Grades 11 and 12 scholars as stipend for this semester at PHP2,000 each to 230 scholars from Ormoc and same number from Kananga.

Erwin Magallanes, EDC’s community partner division head said “of all the company’s projects, education is given more focus because EDC believes that through education, the lives of the poor people in our partner communities will improve and prosper, living with the belief that education is the poor’s passage to prosperity.”

Priority for scholarship are children of poorest families who reside in geothermal power plants’ host villages. They have an average grade of not less than 80 percent and with good academic standing.

The philanthropic company allocated PHP781,981 for Ormoc and PHP854,944 for Kananga.

The school heads received the check for the miscellaneous fees for Ormoc’s nine elementary schools from upland villages that were also affected during the recent 6.5 magnitude earthquake namely: Cabintan, Dolores, Gaas, Liberty, Milagro, Nueva Vista, Cabaon-an, Tongonan and Lake Danao.

The same with Kananga’s seven elementary schools: Aguiting, Hiluctugan, Lim-au, Montebello, Rizal. San Ignacio and Tongonan received by the school heads.

During the turnover program, Magallanes announced, “the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) is anchored to Helen projects – Health, Education, Livelihood and Environment.”

Despite calamities, the company sustained from the typhoon Yolanda and the strong earthquake wherein power plants experienced twice the damage, Magallanes assured the Helen program continues and education remains the top priority.

“With the company’s available resources, we will try to give our best efforts so that we can help the students complete the basic education of our recipients, take a right course, and find the right job with a right career pattern towards destiny, fueled by EDC’s new slogan: Powered by Good,” Magallanes explained.

Mayor Richard Gomez vowed support for the young learners, saying, the current administration has tripled the number of college scholars compared to the previous.

He encouraged the students to work hard and grab the chance provided by the EDC saying they are lucky that a company is offering such an opportunity.

He cited himself as example being also a product of public school, has gone through a lot of struggles and now enjoying the fruit of his labor.

“Life is full of struggle, but you have to work for it (to become successful in chosen field)”, Gomez said.

The EDC’s education program is part of its corporate social responsibility that started in 2005 for elementary pupils. With the implementation of kindergarten and 12 years of basic education, the company extended its assistance.

Next year, it will re-establish the Career program with 14 college scholars to be enrolled in state colleges or universities.

Presently, they are assisting review to 26 takers for the University of the Philippines College Admission Test and passers are groomed as potential college scholars. (ERR/PNA)