Students from Sapang Uwak Elementary School show the books they received from AFTA-DC.
PORAC, Pampanga – Public elementary schools here recently benefited from the “Alay Aklatan” program of a US-based Filipino teachers’ group.
Aside from Sapang Uwak Elementary School, Calzadang Bayu and Pulung Santol Elementary Schools in this town also received various kinds of books from the Association of Filipino Teachers of America District of Columbia Chapter (AFTA-DC) last February and this month.
Marites A. Curley, president of AFTA-DC, said that “our organization conceived the idea to support public schools when we saw the lack of available reading books in their libraries.”
Curley said that AFTA-DC aims to help improve children’s literacy. “We also want them to have an appreciation for reading and the love for books.”
She added that they are mulling to donate classrooms in Pampanga soon.
For their part, principal of the school-beneficiaries of the “Alay Aklatan” thanked AFTA-DC for the “generous donation.”
“Teachers will greatly benefit from these books as they will help their students read at grade level. I am pleased to be able to provide this important resource for their classrooms”, said Edwina Lansangan, principal of Calzadang Bayu elementary school.
Nario Olalia, principal of Sapang Uwak Elementary School, said that they are grateful for the donation and stressed the importance of books in helping boost his students’ reading comprehension.
“The donated items would be effectively put into good use”, said Abelardo Garcia, principal of Pulung Santol Elementary School.
