Groups donate learning materials to children

Groups donate learning materials to children
Sun.Star Cebu
December 17, 2010

Because of donated used batteries, 8,134 pupils in the Visayas will be able to read more books and enhance their knowledge through the mini-libraries they received.

Recently, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) with the help of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBS) turned over additional learning materials to eight schools in Cebu through the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program.

The schools are located in the islands of Olango and Pangan-an in Lapu-Lapu CIty, Mandaue City and in the villages of Cebu City and Balamban town.

Launched in 2006, the Motolite-PBSP Balik-Baterya Program aims to achieve two results: protect the environment by properly disposing and recycling used lead acid batteries (ULABs), which may potentially poison the soil, and improve the learning of pupils through the proceeds of the donated ULABs with the provision of books, training of teachers and holding of remedial reading camps.

ULABs donated by PLDT were bought by Oriental and Motolite MarketingCorp. at a higher price.

The proceeds are used to fund the establishment of Learning Resource Centers (LRCs), which take in the form of mini-libraries that include a table, chairs, and a bookshelf filled with books and supplementary instructional materials on Math, Science, English, Filipino, Social Studies, and Environment Education.

Through the donated ULABs, PLDT was able to generate PhP 880,000.00, which can fund the establishment of 22 LRCs in the remote areas of the Visayas--eight in Cebu, six in Bohol, and five in Samar.