By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
Vice President Leni Robredo visited Romblon on Friday and brought “Angat Buhay” assistance to a public high school.
As part of its continued efforts to help improve education in poor communities around the country, the Office of Vice President (OVP) facilitated the donation of kitchen tools and equipment to a high school in Santa Maria, Romblon.
(OVP / MANILA BULLETIN)
Robredo visited the school to lead the turnover of cooking tools worth P30,000 to Santa Maria National High School in Barangay Concepcion Norte. The donation was made by her office’s Angat Buhay partner, Ramesh Trading Corporation, distributors of Masflex and KitchenPro. Local officials of Romblon, including Governor Eduardo "Lolong" Firmalo, also witnessed the ceremony.
The kitchen tools will be used by senior high school students pursuing the Home Economics strand under K-12’s Technical-Vocational-Livelihood track. The donation was made after another “Angat Buhay” partner, the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, requested for kitchenware for the students, who have had to transfer to other schools just to complete their cooking and baking classes.
Robredo’s office then linked Santa Maria National High School to Ramesh Trading Corporation—which had previously donated at least P380,000 worth of kitchen tools to schools in other Angat Buhay areas such as Mulanay, Quezon and Panglao, Bohol.
During the turnover, Hiren Mirchandani, Ramesh Trading Corporation’s Vice President for Marketing and Innovation, announced that they will also be giving scholarship grants at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies (CACS) to the top two graduating students under the Home Economics Strand.
The CACS was founded by renowned chef Gene Gonzalez, the brand ambassador of Masflex-KitchenPro. Under its 15-day program, students will receive transportation and food allowance, basic kitchen tools and a chef's uniform, and a certificate upon completion.
Robredo, in her message, thanked the partners for “acting swiftly” on the school’s request, and also asked students “to do well” in school. "Wala naman po silang hinihinging kapalit. Sana lang po mapakita natin sa kanila na dahil sa binigay nila, humusay iyong ating mga estudyante... Iyong sa atin lang na pagnanais, sana sa pagbibigay nito, iyong mga estudyanteng makikinabang, ang pamilya din nila iyong makikinabang kinalaunan," she said.
(They are not asking anything in return. I just hope that we can show them that because of their donations, our students are able to get better. It is our wish that by giving these , our students and their families will benefit in the long run).
Aside from the turnover, Robredo was also scheduled to visit the municipality of Odiongan, where she will lead the provincial launch of the “Ahon Laylayan Koalisyon.” The event, which will be held at the Romblon State University, brings together representatives of different sectors, who will be given the opportunity to present their needs and agenda.
“Ahon Laylayan Koalisyon” aims to empower the basic sectors and assist them and their local governments in forming their own People’s Council—an initiative started by the Vice President’s late husband, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, which gives space for people participation in governance. The coalition has been launched in several provinces including Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Norte, Bohol, Iloilo, and Aklan.