LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – One-hundred twenty poor pupils from the Bitano Elementary School here received new pairs of shoes from SM City Legazpi on Tuesday, October 15.
Gloria Abadesa, principal of Bitano Elementary School, said that beneficiaries were chosen from among those who need shoes the most.
SM City Legazpi donates 120 pairs of shoes to pupils of the Bitano Elementary School in Legazpi City, Albay on Tuesday, October 15. (Niño N. Luces)
"We only choose those learners na medyo talagang nasa laylayan na pag pumapasok ‘yung shoes nila ay defective na. So, ‘yun po ang pinipili namin, ‘yung mga naka slippers," she said.
(We only choose those learners with worn-out shoes, particularly those wearing slippers)
Abadesa said that beneficiaries comprise one-fifth of the entire school population of 700 from Grade 1 to 6.
Abadesa thanked SM for choosing her students as beneficiaries.
She said that SM and the school conducted tree-planting and clean-up drive after the distribution.
Antonette Go, branch manager of SM City-Legazpi, said that the activity is part of the company's social responsibility activities that coincided with founder Henry Sy Sr.’s 100th birth anniversary.
"Every year may tinutulong po ang SM sa communities na surrounding sa amin kasi as we grow we also like to see our community grow with us," Go said.
(Every year SM helps communities surrounding us as we also like to see our community grow with us)
Go said shoes were given to the pupils due to the love and passion of Sy for footwear.
"Shoes kasi of course kasi we are SM. Kasi yung dating ano is Shoe Mart and then birthday ni tatang. That's the reason why we are here," she said.
(Shoes of course because we are SM. SM was formerly known as Shoe Mart and it is the birthday of Mr. Sy. That's the reason why we are here)