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| All Hands and Hearts and Streetlight Philippines, Inc. handed over a two-classroom school building to St. Francis Elementary School in Tacloban City. Photo: BASE Builds/Facebook |
TACLOBAN CITY – Two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) demonstrated an act of generosity and goodwill by bringing early Christmas cheer to a school community in Tacloban City. They donated a two-classroom school building on Wednesday, December 15, 2023.
The school building, officially handed over to St. Francis Elementary School, located at Barangay 105 Suhi, St. Francis Village 2, is a remarkable structure showcasing the innovative Cement Bamboo Frame Technology developed by Base Bahay. This social enterprise aims to provide affordable and sustainable housing solutions.
The technology, which uses bamboo as a reinforcement material for concrete, not only reduces the construction cost but also enhances the durability and resilience of the building against natural disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons. Moreover, the technology offers a thermal comfort advantage, as it lowers the heat retention during the day and speeds up the cooling at night, creating a more conducive learning environment for the students.
The school building project was a collaborative effort between All Hands and Hearts (AHAH), a disaster relief organization that helps rebuild schools and homes in areas affected by natural calamities, and Streetlight Philippines, Inc., a local NGO that supports the education and welfare of children living in poverty.
Representing Tacloban City Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez, Councilor Elvira G. Casal graced the handover ceremony, expressing her gratitude and appreciation to the donors and partners for their generosity and compassion. She also commended the school administration, teachers, and students for their resilience and perseverance in the face of the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent typhoons that hit the region.
Also present at the ceremony were Streetlight Foundation Founder Erlend Johannesen, AHAH Program Director Luisa Jabiles, Barangay 105 Chairperson Eutequio Balunan, a representative from the Department of Education (DepEd) Tacloban, dedicated NGO volunteers, as well as the teachers and eager pupils of St. Francis Elementary School. —iTacloban