LA TRINIDAD, Benguet– More than firefighting, firemen in Kibungan are helping schools in the town in sourcing out needed materials for the modular learning scheme adopted by the Department of Education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Kibungan Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) initiated the “Project Box of Hope” soliciting from kind-hearted people cash and in kind to support DepEd’s distance learning scheme.
For the first wave of the project initially spearheaded by SFO4 Bernardo C. Bravo, and now by designated OIC SFO4 Gualberto A. Lucea Jr., it benefited 14 schools in barangays Tacadang, Badeo, Sagpat, and Poblacion.
The BFP collected P110,409.00 cash which was used to procure bond papers and plastic envelopes. This was apart from the donations of 24 boxes bond paper, a printer and sets of inks, four boxes of books, three bags of clothes, a box of brown envelopes, a bag of toys and other school supplies.
“We are overwhelmed because despite the pandemic, there are donors for the province,” Project Head and Kibungan Bureau of Fire Protection Administration Chief Kenny Gadoan shared. Donors are mostly from Baguio, Manila and abroad.
Gadoan said they plan to do a second wave to focus on other areas of the town such as schools in barangays Palina and Lubo.
Gadoan narrated that the project was inspired by his lawyer-friend Neris Bayan, the Punong Barangay of Kayang Extension in Baguio City, who donated some reams of bond paper for Sapda-an Elementary School in barangay Sagpat, which he was asked to deliver.
School Head Julie Licudan shared to Gadoan that even with the allocation from DepEd, it is not enough for the reproduction of modules for the pupils so they welcome donations.
Thus, the “Project Box of Hope” was born. Before rolling off the project in September, the Kibungan BFP first identified their target recipients – the hard to reach schools where school materials are not readily whom they asked what they still needed.
The BFP personnel delivered the materials to the recipient schools. But in the case of Tacadang which is one of the remotest areas in Kibungan, and takes hours of trekking to reach, Gadoan said they coordinated that the supplies and materials for the seven identified schools there be included during the airlifting of relief goods to the area. This was done through the Tactical Operations Group 1 of the Philippine Air Force in coordination with the Office of the Civil Defense.
Elizabeth Siplat, a school teacher in Tacadang National High School, thanked the efforts of the people behind the project saying, “We are loved… Iyaman mi.”
Aside from the donors, the firemen also expressed gratitude to the local government unit through Mayor Cesar Molitas for the support to the project. **JDP/SCA-PIA CAR, Benguet
