ILOILO CITY, August 28 (PNA) -–The Junior Chamber International Philippines Iloilo Ilang-ilang, Inc. (JCI), together with the Lapaz National High School (LPNHS), educate aeta community in Barangay (village) Lanit, Jaro, Iloilo City.
The program Skwela ‘Ta of JCI Iloilo Ilang-ilang is a part of their project “Langit sa Lanit”, a program for adopting of the aeta community headed by Rodelyn Ngipen.
“Langit” or HEAVEN is an acronym that means housing, economic development, assistance for medical and legal, values formation, education and nutrition.
Skwela ‘Ta aims to teach aeta students to read, write and count, bridge the gap between the marginalized cultural minorities and proper education accessible to the mainstream society, strengthen and promote public awareness of the rights of indigenous peoples, make the aeta children be proud of who they are and provide hope to the parents of aeta children that they may have better future.
This program benefits 30 aeta children together with their parents in the community.
“We will not have the strength to create such an impact to a community of our indigenous people if we are not supported by our partners such as Lapaz National High School. We are really grateful for the hearts they had poured into this project”, Atty. Essy Genebelle Antonano, JCI Iloilo Ilang-ilang president said.
More than 10 volunteer teachers of LPNHS participated in this five year partnership with the Skwela ‘Ta program. “It is really a sacrifice on the part of our teachers, when Saturdays are supposed to be their rest day but they really volunteered because we believe that this is a worthwhile endeavor”, said Dr. Teresita Militar, LPNHS Principal.
The two parties had their ceremonial signing of memorandum of agreement, witnessed by representatives from the aeta community Thursday at LPNHS.
Furthermore, the ceremonial signing of memorandum of agreement was also supported and attended by DepEd Iloilo City OIC and Asst. Schools Division Supt. Clarissa Zamora and Lapaz Schools Division Supt. Dionnie Arbis.
Moreover, Jezza Nepomoceno, Chairperson of Program Skwela ‘Ta, said that they were now trying to lobby with the DepEd if the program could be qualified under the Alternative Learning System.
“We are really thankful for the people who help our community. Even if we cannot pay them back, God knows how to bless them in return”, Pastor Rogelio Elosendo of Ati Tribes Mission Inc. (PNA)