CONFLICT-AFFECTED AREAS IN COMVAL RECEIVES SCHOOL STARTER PACKS

REGION XI, Asuncion, DDN—Coinciding with this year’s conduct of the National Schools Maintenance Week or Brigada Eskwela, over 300 elementary schoolchildren of Laak, Compostella Valley received their school starter packs in the joint outreach program conducted by the 60th Infantry Battalion, 4th Platoon of ComVal Provincial Public Safety Company, Angel without Wings Group, Risen Savior Missions, and private individual donors on May 31, Tuesday.

Mr. Jeffrey Mataro, founder of Angel without Wings, discusses the purpose and rationale of the Tulong Pag-asa Para sa Eskwela Program to the parents and teachers who attended the activity at Barangay Imelda, Laak, CVP.

A total of 500 pairs of shoes awaits distribution to students of conflict-affected areas of Laak, CVP.

The activity, dubbed as “Tulong Pag-asa Para sa Eskwela” is a simple gift-giving program where students from Grades 1 through 6 are given a school starter pack consisting of a pair of shoes (sponsored by Toms International); notebooks, pad papers, and coloring and writing materials; and an oral hygiene set. While the program primarily benefits the students, the organizer of the activity deem it as a reward for parents who have shown persistent support not only in the Brigada Eskwela but also in the other endeavors of their children's school.

Lt Miles Cariño, Company Commander of 60IB, helps a child find her shoe fit during the program conducted at Barangay Imelda, Laak, CVP.

The selected beneficiaries of the Program were the elementary schools of Barangay Mabuhay and Imelda--both of Laak, CVP—which were recently affected by a series of armed clashes between the military and the communist rebel group NPA.

60IB Commander Lt Col Emmanuel Canilla, 4th CVPPSC Platoon Leader PSI Arvin Ongcay and Mr. Jeffrey Mataro personally hand the school starter packs to the students of Imelda Elementary School, Laak, CVP.

Source: S7, 60th Infantry Battalion, 10th Infantry Division, Philippine Army