ABS-CBN’s adopted community receives new gift

Students and teachers in Looc, Batangas, will now have access to more learning and educational resources with a brand new library recently turned over to the Looc Elementary School by ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc.’s (ALKFI) Programa Genio and partner organizations.

Gina Burgos, a fisherwoman from the remote town along Taal Lake, dreams of a better life for her two children. She says a new library for her children and their schoolmates can inspire them to make the most of their education and pursue their dreams.

“Even though we don’t earn much, my husband and I work very hard so that our children can go to school and have a chance to have a better life,” said Gina, who heads the parents’ association in the school.  “I can already see how much joy this new library brings to my children, while also motivating them to keep learning and keep dreaming big.”

Meanwhile, according to Donalyn Maya, officer-in-charge of Looc Elementary School and the chairman of the Looc-Balete Development Association, the new library benefits both students and teachers, who have difficulty getting hold of learning materials and resources.

“This new library and the supplies in it are a huge help not just to the students but to us teachers, too,” said Donalyn. “We now have easy access to reference books that are usually found in bigger city libraries, while the children can foster a love for reading and learning with these new books.”

ALKFI’s educational arm Programa Genio, which works with public schools and communities to give more students access to quality education, spearheaded the project, which is part of ABS-CBN’s commitment to help Filipinos nationwide have access to more learning opportunities. The library was built with donations from the Filipino American Cultural Organization (FACO) and is in line with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Every Child a Reader program that aims to equip elementary pupils with strategic reading and writing skills to help them with reading comprehension.

According to Maricar Estole, program director of Programa Genio, the library and teacher training program gives children a safe space and resources so they can learn to love reading and eventually become better students, while assisting the teachers in giving their students the best education possible.

The library is just one of many projects spearheaded by ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya to help the residents in the remote, lakeside town of Looc have access to education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities. Home to about 4,000 residents who rely mostly on seasonal farming, fishing, and construction work for their livelihood, Looc has been one of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya’s beneficiaries or “adopted communities” since 2016. ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya also led in the construction of a barangay health center, a community pharmacy, the NutriPan project- a school based bakery that sells nutritious, affordable bread to the students, and the rehabilitation of the Looc Elementary School gymnasium, which serves as the evacuation center for Looc and other neighboring barangays in times of calamity. 

For updates on the projects of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya, follow its official Facebook account (@abscbnfoundationkapamilya) or visit the website at www.abs-cbnfoundation.com. For updates follow @abscbnpr on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or go to abscbnpr.com.