BBI Foundation’s Atty, Sheryl Santos-Centeno, Enix Salvador and Justin Gozun turn over P500,000–worth of construction materials to Dela Paz High School represented by public school district superintendent Dr. Juliet Sagum and principal Dr. Erich Garcia. Contributed photo
SAN SIMON, Pampanga – The Dela Paz Libutad High School in Barangay Dela Paz here, which is normally teeming with students at this time of the year, is now set to undergo immediate repair and rehabilitation.
This developed as the high school was chosen as one of the beneficiaries of the Bridges of Benevolence Initiative Foundation, Inc. (BBI Foundation, Inc.) in partnership with the government program under the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
The raging pandemic has forced students to stay at home and adopt to the so-called “blended learning” or distance learning now being implemented by the Department of Education which has rendered schools empty which is just the right time for the dilapidated school buildings to undergo a much-needed repair and rehabilitation.
On Friday, the first truckload of construction materials was delivered to the school in a simple ceremony.
On hand to receive the construction materials was Dela Paz Libutad High School principal Erich David Garcia who was profuse in thanking BBI Foundation, Inc., the corporate social responsibility arm of BB International Leisure and Resorts Development Corp. that operates several businesses in the Clark Freeport, among them the grand Midori Hotel, Aqua Planet, and Eaglesky Technology Amusement, Inc.
“Pasalamat kami king BBI ayan uling pilan lamu deng mididinan a grasyang makanyan at metung kami karing mepili (We thank BBI because there are only a few that are chosen to receive such grace and we are among them),” he said in thanking the foundation.
Sheryl Centeno, chief finance officer of BBI Foundation, said an amount of P500,000 was allotted for the renovation of the school buildings.
Centeno finished high school at Dela Paz Libutad High School that is why she said she is happy that her alma mater is counted among the beneficiaries of BBI Foundation, Inc. that has long been helping the community in Central Luzon.
She lamented and explained that “Dela Paz Libutad underwent a school-based assessment but unfortunately it failed. So, it did not receive any project but the school has an obvious problem and at the same time it cannot be qualified to get funding.”
“So, my former teachers in the school went to see me to solicit funds for its repair and rehabilitation. They sought my assistance but I told them that we can instead include the school in our program,” she said.
Enix Salvador, director of BBI Foundation Inc., personally inspected the dilapidated school buildings and agreed that they should be given immediate repair and rehabilitation.
“Apansin yu pu dirutan ke at talaga naman metung ya ing Dela Paz kening kekaming balen na mangailangan lingap (If you noticed, I went around (the school buildings) and really, Dela Paz here in our town is wanting much needed assistance),” Salvador said.
“Talaga pung mayna nala at mengalipasan nong panahun (They are really weak and were left behind by the seasons),” Salvador observed.
“Anya atiu ke pu keni (That is why we are here), we call this divine providence,” he added.
BBI Corp. president Dr. Irineo “Bong” Alvaro, Jr. established the BBI Foundation Inc.
The truckload of construction materials included cement, plywood, paint, electrical materials, and toilet fixtures among others.
Succeeding deliveries will follow, Salvador said.
