Showing posts with label inauguration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inauguration. Show all posts

Nov 10, 2014

Bringing the joy of reading to children in Pampanga

Children must be given the opportunity to learn more beyond the four corners of a classroom, and school libraries are one of the efficient ways that can help facilitate this. The quality of education of public elementary school students are embedded in the kind of facilities and resources that are accessible to them. One of the primary facilities that a school should have is a functional library. However, many public elementary schools still do not have libraries, and those that do have yet to make their libraries child-friendly and functional. Thus, it is no longer surprising that we continue to still have many non-readers in our public schools.

The Acts of Hope for the Nation (AHON) Foundation responds to this need by opening more public elementary school libraries around the Philippines to provide Filipino children with relevant opportunities so they may gain more knowledge by practicing a culture of reading.

Recently, AHON Foundation together with former Pampanga Gov. Eddie “Among Ed” Panlilio and Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, opened two (2) child-friendly libraries in public schools in Pampanga – San Agustin Integrated School in San Fernando and San Juan Nepomuceno Elementary School in Guagua. The whole community, including the local government officials, barangay officers, alumni, PTA members and other stakeholders, attended the inauguration.
Unlike other groups who just donate books, AHON’s main condition for its donating more than P 350,000.00 worth of brand new books per school is for the community to work together to renovate and refurbish its existing library. This would mean providing enough tables, chairs and shelves that children can use as well as providing adequate lighting and ventilation that would make learning conducive for every child.
“Nagpapasalamat po kami na natupad na ang aming hiling na magkaroon ng library itong eskwelahan,” said Mrs. Marie Grace Ramos, Principal of San Agustin Integrated School.

According to Mrs. Leilani Capati, Principal of San Juan Nepomuceno Elementary School, they really want to put up a library but they do not have enough resources.
“Mabuti na lang po at andiyan kayo para tulungan kami sa matagal na naming pinapangarap na library. Makakatulong po talaga ito sa mga bata,” she said. Among Ed Panlilio, the former governor of the Province of Pampanga, stated that, “Kung ‘di lang din sa kooperasiyon niyong lahat, hindi tayo magkakaroon ng library. Congatulations sa inyong lahat!”

On a related note, Sen. Guingona said, “Napakaswerte ninyo dahil mayroon na kayong ganitong kagagandang libro na maaaring magamit sa inyong pag-aaral. Sana ay huwag ninyong sayangin ito dahil ang edukasyon at pagbabasa ay ang susi sa mas magandang kinabukasan para sa inyong lahat.”
Even when libraries are provided, they cannot be functional if the children are not encouraged to enter the library and read the books that are now accessible to them. Mr. Hector O. Tagaysay, Chairman of AHON Foundation, encouraged the children to read the books and promised them that AHON will replace the books if they become worn-out.

To date, AHON Foundation opened 110 public elementary school libraries in different places such as La Union, Nueva Ecija, Camarines Sur, Quezon, Bulacan, Pampanga, Rizal, Leyte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Pangasinan, Laguna, Batangas, Ifugao and Metro Manila benefiting more than 500,000 public elementary pupils. AHON Foundation still believes and continues to work on providing functional and child-friendly libraries in the hope of uplifting the quality of education in the country.

For those who are interested to volunteer or support AHON Foundation, you can send an email to ahonfoundation@gmail.com or call (02) 518-0021.

Oct 14, 2012

Library Inauguration at Cuyapo Central School, Nueva Ecija

On Tuesday, October 9, 2012 AHON Foundation inaugurated its 66th library in Cuyapo Central School, Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija!


It takes 4 hours by car to get to Cuyapo Central School in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija. From the main highway, you take a right into a little road you would not notice unless you’re looking for it, and you begin to follow this thoroughfare where you see more tractors than cars. As you make your way down this road, houses begin to appear farther and farther away from each other, and soon you find yourself driving beside rice fields that seem to extend on and on. And just when you feel that you might’ve taken a wrong turn, you arrive in the little town of Cuyapo.



Despite it being located in a small town, Cuyapo Central School has a student population of 800. To be able to accommodate all their students in their classrooms they have both morning and afternoon sessions. But despite the lack in the number of classrooms, the campus of Cuyapo Central School is a nice one. They have a nice gym, a sprawling field, and a cafeteria. The only thing that Cuyapo Central School lacked was a library.

Our friends from Books for a Cause actually recommended Cuyapo Central School as a partner to AHON Foundation. Before our partnership, Cuyapo Central School only had a simple room with a humble collection of books that functioned as their library. But within a span of one month, they were able to create a reading space that was unrecognizable from the very first time we visited their school.

Under the tutelage of Dr. Cristina Miranda, principal of Cuyapo Central School, the faculty and administrators were able to acquire enough resources to give their library a new look. They are especially thankful for their school’s Parents Association that helped them every step of the way. With the money they were able to raise, they painted the tables, chairs, and shelves, and covered all four walls with colorful murals depicting cartoon characters as well as quotes inspiring children to read. When we arrived on the day of the inauguration, their library was a shining example of what a library should be. The only thing it lacked were students to use this!



But the students did excitedly pile into the library after the short but meaningful inauguration took place. Once the ribbon of the library was cut, and this declared officially open, children rushed towards the shelves to grab a book for reading. As the four walls of the library were filled with excited chatter of the students, Ma’am Jackie, Cuyapo Central School’s OIC, thanked us for the library we developed. We replied to her telling her that she was very welcome, but without the work that they as a school put in, there wouldn’t be a library either.


Congratulations Cuyapo Central School! We hope that the library we developed together will inspire your children to dream!


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Sep 17, 2012

AHON Featured in Yesterday's Issue of Manila Bulletin: New Books and Libraries for Nueva Ecija Children

by Tippy Kintanar

NOT EVEN the habagat rains and the floods could stop Entablado Elementary School in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija and Sto. Cristo Elementary School in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija from inaugurating their new libraries last Sept 5.
The two schools are the latest recent partner public elementary schools of the Acts of Hope for the Nation (AHON) Foundation and throughout the one-month completion period of their libraries, the school administrators, teachers and parents behind it never faltered - even when they were met repeatedly by obstacles.
It was former Mayor Sonia Lorenzo who first brought AHON’s operations to Nueva Ecija. Today, even after her term, Lorenzo continues to lend her support by endorsing AHON to the local government in the different municipalities of the region. Mayor Baby Congco from the municipality of Cabiao took on the task and paved way for the partnership between Entablado Elementary School and AHON for its 64th library. Mayor Congco hopes the new AHON library will become a source of pride for the school.
As the ribbon was cut, and the library was declared officially open, pupils excitedly filed in and wasted no time in getting their hands on the new books in their library.
NEW LIB INSPIRES KIDS TO READ
With originally only a few shelves worth of dilapidated and outdated books, Petronilla Mangulabnan, principal of Entablado Elementary School wanted to create an entirely new library that would encourage pupils to read. The new library of Entablado Elementary School boasts of a large mural, as well as colorful shelves, tables, and chairs. In addition, they also added a comfortable reading corner with colorful wall décors where students are reminded to properly care for the books in their new library.
Sto. Cristo Elementary School in San Isidro had been in need of a new library. Today, through the efforts of barangay captain Ramon Santos and school principal Maria Corazon Balajadia, they were able to get one. Sto. Cristo’s library is the 65th of AHON Foundation, which donated half a million pesos worth of books.
The story behind Sto. Cristo’s library is inspiring and tells of a community that worked together to achieve a common goal for the betterment of their barangay’s elementary school. Sto. Cristo was flooded after the strong rains but the library was completed on the agreed date because everyone — teachers, students and their parents — were there to help.
When AHON Foundation’s executive director Harvey Keh announced that AHON promises to replace books if these fall apart due to how often they are used by children, a loud applause broke out. “Perhaps, the best way to say thank you is to use the books and to read them,” Keh enjoined the students.
AHON Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of Filway Marketing Inc. To date it has developed 65 public elementary school libraries which has benefitted more than 130,000 students throughout the country.
To know more, visit www.ahonfoundation.org. Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ahonfoundation) for up-to-date news on our projects and how you can help. For more information call (+632) 4331440 or email ahonfoundation@gmail.com.
AHON Foundation would like to give our heartfelt thanks to the Manila Bulletin for featuring us in the Sunday edition of their paper. Your support helps us advocate our cause far and wide, and we are very, very grateful! :-)
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Sep 13, 2012

Inaugurating our 64th and 65th Libraries in Nueva Ecija: Sto. Cristo Elementary School

Last September 5, 2012 AHON Foundation inaugurated our 64th library in Entablado Elementary School in Cabiao, and our 65th Library in Sto. Cristo Elementary School San Isidro.
This actually isn't the first time that we at AHON Foundation found ourselves in Nueva Ecija to develop libraries. In the past we've opened eight AHON libraries in the Nueva Ecija region. But this didn't mean that we weren't welcomed by our partners with the same enthusiasm and joy that we were welcomed with the very first time we inaugurated a library there.

Our second inauguration for the day was at Sto. Cristo Elementary School in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. A few blog entries back we wrote about how during our last two visits to Sto. Cristo the front yard of the school was flooding and under water. Well it seems like our visits to Sto. Cristo are always synonymous to rain as when we arrived there for the the inauguration the front yard was once again flooded.

True to the spirit we love about the Sto. Cristo Elementary School community however, they (AGAIN!) didn't let the flood stop them and went on to inaugurate their new library with a program of thanksgiving.


Ma'am Maria Corazon Balajadia and Mr. Harvey S. Keh shake hands after signing the Memorandum of Agreement. Behind them, you see the flooded courtyard of Sto. Cristo Elementary School.

Ma'am Maria Corazon Balajadia- Principal of Sto. Cristo Elementary School, Mr. Luis Calison- DepEd District Supervisor, and Barangay Captain Ramon C. Santos expressed their messages of thanks not only to AHON Foundation but to the community of Sto. Cristo that played an equally large part in putting together the school's new library.

We were also joined by former San Isidro Municipal Mayor Sonia Lorenzo (third from left) who first brought AHON to Nueva Ecija several years ago. In a way opening our 65th library in San Isidro was a sort of tribute to her and the initiative she had to take AHON to Nueva Ecija.

Sto Cristo's new library!

As we declared the library open we saw what perhaps is the reason behind the resilient spirit of the Sto. Cristo Elementary School Community: Its students and the excitement they had towards their new books and library.

AHON Foundation congratulates Sto. Cristo Elementary School in San Isidro Nueva Ecija for a job well done! We hope your new library builds tomorrow's dreamers who will build the nation.

Read our blog entry on our 64th library inauguration in Cabiao earlier that day by clicking HERE. To see more pictures of the inauguration at Sto. Cristo Elementary School, click HERE.

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Sep 11, 2012

Inaugurating our 64th and 65th Libraries in Nueva Ecija: Cabiao Elementary School

Last September 5, 2012 AHON Foundation inaugurated our 64th library in Entablado Elementary School in Cabiao, and our 65th Library in Sto. Cristo Elementary School San Isidro.

This actually isn't the first time that we at AHON Foundation found ourselves in Nueva Ecija to develop libraries. In the past we've opened eight AHON libraries in the Nueva Ecija region. But this didn't mean that we weren't welcomed by our partners with the same enthusiasm and joy that we were welcomed with the very first time we inaugurated a library there.

You could say we were unfortunate since when we got to Nueva Ecija on the morning of our library inaugurations, it was raining hard. But we chose to see the rain as showered blessings from above, and proceeded to start the program at Entablado Elementary School's library inauguration like it was business as usual.
The inauguration at Entablado was well attended by the school community and local government leaders alike. Mayor Baby Congco, current municipal mayor of Cabiao as well as former San Isidro Municipal Mayor Sonia Lorenzo gave inspirational talks, while Councilor Obet Franco who oversaw the development of the library also attended the inauguration. Cabiao's Barangay Captain and the DepEd public school's district supervisor were also present.

After the program, students and teachers braved the rain to watch the ceremonial ribbon cutting and of course, use the new library!
AHON Foundation congratulates Entablado Elementary School in Cabiao Nueva Ecija for a job well done! We hope your new library builds tomorrow's dreamers who will build the nation.

To see more pictures of the inauguration at Cabiao Elementary School, click HERE.

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