Presidio Education® team members hand-deliver new backpacks filled with school supplies for all 92 Adlaon Integrated School first graders in Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines. Presidio Education®, 2018.
Sustainability
Cebu Impact
Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
In summer 2018, we flew part of our faculty, staff and college intern teams to Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines, to donate 280 handpicked Presidio Education® backpacks filled with new school supplies to impoverished Hipodromo Elementary School and Adlaon Integrated School first graders. Unfortunately, many of these Cebuano children and their families live far below the poverty line. Many are forced to live in makeshift homes in nearby cemeteries and cannot afford simple necessities like pencils or even used sandals. Yet, despite these adversities, these children are full of so much love, joy and hope.
We hope our stories and pictures inspire you to help these children alleviate the pain and suffering they face daily. All children deserve to live in safe homes and have equal opportunities for quality education. But we need your help to make this come true. Please contact our Sustainability Team to find out how you can join the many others who have reached out to us to help. Thank you kindly!
A Story from
Kenley Lou
Presidio Education® Social Science Teacher
Growing up in Cebu enabled me to observe various societal problems, including gaps in educational opportunities, access to public health and the increasing poverty rates. Despite these challenges, Cebuanos are very close-knit. Rooted on bayanihan, which means the spirit of helping and cooperating with each other, locals have a strong sense of community for no personal benefit. Despite the relatively low standards of living in Cebu and an evident income gap, locals never forget to be happy and grateful.
In the past five years, the Philippine education system was revised to a twelve-year curriculum to match international standards. Due to the lack of financial resources from the government, the public school system experiences insufficient facilities, which negatively impacts student growth and understanding of STEM subjects. Moreover, there is limited access to quality education through private and international schools, which are often unaffordable for families far below the poverty line.
The Cebu Impact Project is a project close to heart. Through this project, we were able to make a positive impact in the lives of 280 first grade students. The joy of being able to reach out and give back to my own community is very humbling. Providing school supplies and backpacks goes beyond giving students the right tools to start school. The children know we really care for them.
Vast improvements with funding for health care and education sectors are needed. Due to restrictions with government funding and family finances, many Filipino children do not have access to good medical care and vaccinations. In larger families, only some of the children are able to receive primary and secondary education. Older siblings are frequently forced to sacrifice obtaining an education to take care of younger siblings. School administrations and local government officials try their best to assist under-resourced children.
Hipodromo Elementary School
In summer 2018 our team handed out handpicked backpacks filled with new school supplies for all 188 first graders at Hipodromo Elementary School in Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines. During this project, we met numerous Barangay Hipodromo government officials headed by Barangay Captain Honorable Ruperto “DonDon” Bacolod. The school and other barangay sectors suffer from insufficient funding and resources. Captain Bacolod explained that many of the school’s children and their families are so far below the poverty line that they live in makeshift homes in nearby cemeteries. These poor families do not have running water, heat, nor protection from criminals. Since these poor families live in such harsh conditions in cemeteries, many are unable to provide their children with basic school supplies, such as pencils and backpacks, or even used sandals.
Adlaon Integrated School
In summer 2018 our team handed out handpicked backpacks filled with new school supplies for all 92 first graders at Adlaon Integrated School in Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines. Since the school is in the jungle approximately 19 miles away from the city center, the school struggles to gain public exposure. Volunteer Teacher Jenebe Arcilla introduced us to local Barangay Adlaon government officials and Adlaon Integrated School administrators. Barangay Adlaon is headed by both Honorable Nieves Narra, Barangay Adlaon Captain, and Honorable Lhyn Arcilla, Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) Chairwoman. One school teacher asked us very humbly if we had enough funding to provide one STEM textbook for their fifth graders. This really taught us was how much the school depends on donations just to keep running.
Adlaon Integrated School first grade girls eagerly looking inside their new backpacks. Presidio Education®, 2018.
Fighting Child Poverty
Unfortunately, many children neither receive adequate health care nor safe places to sleep. Children need sufficient healthy food, clean drinking water, clothing and shelter. Our faculty, staff and college interns flew to Cebu, Philippines, to donate school supplies to 280 impoverished children. One of the local government officials explained that many of the children are so poor that they live in makeshift homes in nearby cemeteries. While the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to increase public health on a global level, we need your help to reduce child poverty.
Families inside their makeshift home in a mausoleum within the Chinese Cemetery in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines welcoming Presidio Education® faculty. Photograph by Presidio Education®, 2018.
supporting impoverished communities
Donating money is often very necessary to fund academic programs for underprivileged children. But sacrificing time to meet, play and work with underprivileged children is truly priceless. When we volunteer with orphans, we want them to know that we care about them and that they are not alone. These wonderful children need your help, too. By working together, we can show these children that there is a tremendous amount of compassion within our communities. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provides critical information on how to help abandoned children.
Hipodromo Health Clinic Nurse Charlyn Leyson conducts health checks on a young child in Barangay Hipodromo, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines. Photograph by Presidio Education®, 2018.