Monday, June 28, 2010

NGCP LAUNCHES "BALIK ESKWELA" TO HELP COMMUNITIES

SORSOGON CITY (June 28) - More than 73,000 elementary students from 174 public schools in selected barangays nationwide received school supplies this month from the "Balik Eskwela" Project of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

The privately-owned power transmission utility and system operator selected the schools from among the thousands of barangays throughout the country where transmission towers, lines, substations and other NGCP facilities are located.

Direct beneficiaries are thousands of elementary public school students who each received a school bag with 10 notebooks and 3 pencils.

Distribution of school supplies began on June 15, 2010, the first day of the new schoolyear. Ceremonial handover programs were held simultaneously today in the following areas: North Luzon (Pila, Laoag City), South Luzon (Bibincahan, Sorsogon and Oas, Albay), Visayas (Gov. Jaro, Tacloban), and Mindanao (Cabligan, Davao; Jasaan and Aplaya, Misamis Oriental).

National Grid Corporation of the Philippines Regional Corporate Communications Officer Nelson Bautista said that about 27 elementary schools bebefited from this program: 7 schools from Cam. Norte (Talisay, Vinzons, Labo, Batobalani, Paracale), 6 schools from Cam Sur (Lupi, Libmanan, Pamplona, Tigaon and Buhi), 7 schools from Albay (Daraga, Polangui, Oas, Manito) and 7 schools from Sorsogon (Sorsogon City, Sta. Magdalena and Irosin).

“Balik Eskwela” aims both to support students and their families who may not afford to provide for a few school supplies and also to ensure the safety of children and other residents living in communities near transmission facilities.

To help minimize the incidence of electrocution and/or pilferage of tower and line parts in communities, NGCP volunteers at the "Balik Eskwela" activities educated the children, teachers, and some parents on line safety and security. The distributed notebooks carry similar information and reminders from NGCP.

NGCP is counting on the support of its partners in the power industry as well as residents and officials of host communities to ensure that reliable and safe electricity is delivered to all its customers.

Residents near transmission facilities are encouraged to help monitor and protect the towers and lines from theft and pilferage, which make the system vulnerable to power outages, as well as to observe established right-of-way easement areas to prevent grassfires, forest fires, electrocution and other accidents.

NGCP said all measures are being done to ensure that transmission lines, substations and other facilities across the country are in good condition and able to deliver whatever power is available from the generating plants. The corporation operates 19,425 circuit-kilometers of high-voltage transmission and sub-transmission lines and 23,853 mega volt amperes of substation capacity in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. (NGCP, PIA)

MAHIGIT ANIM NA LIBONG ELEMENTARY PUPILS NABIYAYAAN NG EDC AT NGCP

Tagalog News Release

SORSOGON CITY (June 28) - Dala ang paniniwalang malaki ang papel ng edukasyon sa paghubog sa mga kabataan at pagsulong ng bansa, muling isinagawa ng Energy Development Corporation Bacon-Manito Geothermal Production Field ang kanilang taunang pamamahagi ng mga school supplies sa mga mag-aaral sa elementarya kabilang na ang mga day care at kindergarten pupils sa siyam na host barangays nito dito sa lungsod ng Sorsogon.

Limang libo’t anim na raan at siyam na mga mag-aaral ang nakatanggap ng kwaderno, sulatang papel, lapis, pangtasa, krayon, gunting, ruler, ballpen at iba pang mga school supplies noong nakaraang Huwebes at Byernes, June 24 at 25.

Ayon kay EDC Community Relations Officer Ed Jimenez, naging aktibong katuwang nila sa distribusyon ang mga kapitan ng siyam na barangay na kabilang sa kanilang host communities pati na rin ang mga school principals at guro ng mga elementary schools doon.

Sinabi ni Jimenez na maliban sa pamamahagi ng mga school supplies ay taunang aktibidad din nila ang pagsagot sa miscellaneous fees ng mga elementary schools ng kanilang host barangays na may layuning matulungan ang mga magulang sa gastusin sa kanilang mga pinaaaral na mga anak.

Samantala, tulad ng EDC-BGPF ay naghayag din ng pledge of support si National Grid Corporation of the Philippines Regional Corporate Communications Officer Nelson Bautista sa school principal ng Bibincahan Elementary School sa pamamagitan ng pamamahagi ng mga school supplies sa mga mag-aaral dito.

Siyam na raan apatnapu’t limang mga mag-aaral naman mula kinder hanggang grade six ang nakatanggap ng assorted school supplies mula sa NGCP noon namang nakaraang Byernes, June 25.

Ayon kay Bautista, ang pamamahgi ng mga school supplies ay bahagi ng kanilang “Balik Eskwela Project 2010”.

Sinabi ng opisyal na ang Bibincahan Elmentary School ang napili nilang pamahaginan sapagkat nakalagay diumano sa malapit dito ang kanilang transmission towers.

Naroroon upang maghayag ng pasasalamat ang kinatawan ng City DepEd at ang mga opisyal ng paaralan.

Naging emosyonal naman ang mga magulang ng mga bata sa kabutihang-loob na natanggap ng mga mag-aaral. Malaking tulong diumano sa kanila ang mga kagamitang ipinamahagi upang higit na ganahan ang mga anak nila na mag-aral ng mabuti. (Bennie A. Recebido, PIA Sorsogon)