Filipino-Chinese bizmen donate school buildings in Leyte

TACLOBAN CITY, March 4 (PNA) -- The Federation of the Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) and the Tacloban Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Inc. (TFCCCI) donated new school buildings in Leyte province.

Roofless structures and school buildings flattened to the ground -- the ruins greeted the visitors during the turnover on Saturday.

In the Cabuynan Elementary School in Tanauan, Leyte, Mayor Pelagio Tecson expressed his gratitude as he acknowledged the donation from the Travelers of Washington D.C. Foundation Inc.

The donation was coursed through the FFCCCII and TFCCCI, with the latter facilitating the construction of the school building.

“These children here had traumatic experiences but they showed us that even the strongest typhoon to make landfall six times more than three years ago, cannot crush nor beat the resilient spirit of the Filipinos,” Tecson said.

The FFCCCII together with TFCCCI was among the many non-governmental organizations that came to help a month after the storm. In a span of three years, 16 classrooms were already donated to the town, according to Tecson.

The local government of Tanauan also donated a stage to the school, which was unveiled and turned over on the same day.

“With the new classrooms and other facilities available to the students, we are assured of a good learning environment where the students continue to dream big for themselves and their families,” Tecson added.

Cabuynan has 520 enrolled students.

The two other schools that received the donation were the Malbog Elementary School in Tolosa, Leyte and the Sta. Ana Elementary School in La Paz, Leyte.

According to Edward Sy, director of the FFCCCII, ever since the chamber was established in the 1960s, it has already turned over to the Department of Education, LGU and the community where the buildings were located, a total of 10,240 classrooms across the country under its School to the Barrio program.

The School to the Barrio Program is one of the three major programs of the federation. The other two are distribution of relief items during calamities and the provision of medicines or the organization of medical missions all over the Philippines.

Last Jan. 20, the chambers also turned over 28 classrooms to different schools in Tacloban City; Marabut, Samar; and Biliran, Biliran.

After the storm, it has turned over 120 classrooms across Tacloban City, Leyte, Samar and Biliran provinces. (PNA)
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