Valencia Mayor Edgar Y. Teves led Valencianons in last week’s celebration to mark the implementation of the Energy Development Corp.’s seven other community projects.
The highlight of the event was the awarding of high school scholarship grants to 435 students for school year 2016-2017. Also included in the seven projects were the awarding of winners for EDC’s pilot “Gulayan sa Paaralan” and the completion of the Cambucad-Sagbang foot bridge, the Malaunay bleachers, the Puhagan waterline system, the Balili road concreting, and the road concreting project in Barangay Dobdob.
“These seven projects reaffirm our commitment to assist Valencia in its development efforts. The clean, renewable, sustainable geothermal energy that we provide to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is also here to power infinite possibilities for the people Valencia and the rest of Negros Island,” said Norreen G. Bautista, head of EDC’s Community Partnerships, External Relations, and Watershed Management Group in Negros Island.
Now on its 12th year, EDC’s high school scholarship project is a part of the education module under EDC’s Health, Education, Livelihood, and Environment (HELEn) program. The module aims to help its host communities break out from the cycle of poverty through education.
A total of P2.175 million was turned over to San Pedro Academy-Recoletos, Balugo National High School, Pulangbato National High School, and Valencia National High School for the 374 junior and 61 senior bright but underprivileged high school scholars of EDC. Each of them were given a stipend of P5,000. They are required to have above average scholastic grades to maintain their scholarship.
For 40 years now, EDC has been using education as a tool to change the world, one student at a time.
Changing the world also includes ensuring the students’ well-nourished bodies through the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” project which EDC piloted in Puhagan Elementary School, Malaunay Elementary School, Dungga Primary School and Nasuji Elementary School.
EDC recognized the four schools for their exemplary implementation of the project. Malaunay Elementary School won the Over-All School Garden of the Year Award for the quality of their produce; partnership of teachers, parents, students; utilization of vegetables). Minor awards were given to Dungga Primary School (Best School Garden Innovation); Puhagan Elementary School (Best Nutritious Meals); and Nasuji Elementary School (Best Student Learning Award).
Puhagan Barangay Captain Leonarda Sarita, Malaunay Barangay Captain Los Santos Russel, Sagbang Barangay Captain CenonDagoy, Balili Barangay Captain Cefriano Ferrer, and Dobdob Barangay Captain Gilberto Darias were also present to express their sincerest gratitude to EDC for its infrastructure projects in their communities through their response to community project during the 7-in-1 HELEn celebration.
The Cambucad-Sagbang Foot Bridge is intended to connect Barangay Sagbang and Barangay Cambucad. At present, some residents in Sagbang are separated from the main road in Cambucad by the Okoy River which made them physically difficult to cross the riverbank with their harvested crops.
The bleachers in the newly constructed gym in Malaunay will address the problem of safety and discomfort of the residents of Malaunay during their socio-cultural and sports activities.
The potable water system in Barangay Malaunay will enable the residents to enjoy clean water for their domestic uses and improve their sanitary conditions.
The road concreting road project in Barangays Balili and Dobdob will provide the principal means of transportation to improve the road network in these areas for their further development.
EDC is the country’s leading producer of geothermal energy and a multi-awarded Filipino company in the areas of geothermal development, environmental excellence, corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. Its 222.5-MW geothermal facility in Valencia, Negros Oriental has been sustainably generating clean, renewable geothermal power for Negros Island and the rest of the Visayas region for 34 years now. (PNA)
