Shell helps Batangas schools prepare for remote learning

The donations were coursed through the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Brigada Eskwela program, an annual nationwide initiative originally intended to maintain and refurbish school facilities but now repurposed to strengthen the schools’ capacity to provide students with self-learning modules.

Among the recipients are the elementary schools of Tabangao, Ambulong, Libjo, San Isidro, Malitam, Wawa, Sta. Clara, Bolbok, Sta. Rita, Calicanto, and Julian Pastor Memorial. The national high schools of Libjo, Malitam, and Sta. Rita also benefited from the donations along with the Tabangao Integrated School.

“Pandemic or no pandemic, the students in these schools represent the future of our nation,” says Pilipinas Shell President and CEO Cesar Romero. “At Shell, we believe in the Filipino spirit of bayanihan, and it’s only right that we do our part as members of the community to help in every way we can.”

Romero says it is not enough to simply overcome today’s extraordinary circumstances, but it is also equally important to safeguard a prosperous future for the country by ensuring the continued educational development of the youth. For 106 years, Shell has remained committed to this future by being the Philippines’ partner in nation-building, working to help the country address the present challenges for a brighter tomorrow.

Each school received an Internet modem to enable educators to provide learning assistance to students learning from home well as two printers and 15 boxes of bond paper to enable teachers to print out the learning modules, saving students from shouldering the financial burden.

Shell also donated 16,118 face masks for students and 611 health kits inclusive of face masks, face shields, PPE suits, and Messy Bessy dishwashing products for teachers to ensure that all health, safety and sanitary protocols are observed as protection against COVID-19.

The face masks and the PPEs were produced by members of the SIBBAP Multipurpose Cooperative, beneficiaries of a PSFI livelihood development that retrained seamstresses from Ambulong, Batangas to help bolster PPE supplies during the pandemic.

Dr. Victoria Fababier, DepEd’s Chief Education Supervisor for the School Governance and Operations Department, thanks Shell, the company’s social development arm Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), and the Malampaya Foundation, Inc. (MFI).

“Asahan po ninyo na pagyayamanin po namin to. Ito ay makakarating sa mga kinauukulan at pakikinabangan ng aming mga mag-aaral ng at lalo po namin pagbubutihin ang aming paglilingkod sapagkat kami ay nai-inspire sa inyo (You can be sure that we will value these gifts. Not only will these items reach the intended recipients and benefit our students, your act also inspires us to better serve them as educators).”

Despite the ongoing transformation of Shell’s Tabangao Refinery into an import facility, similar to Shell’s existing Northern Mindanao Import Facility that services the southern parts of the country, the company remains committed to supporting the local community.

“Kung anong adjustment ng company, kami ay taos pusong nagpapasalamat dahil hindi namin akalain na ang Shell ay makakatulong sa transition period, pero hindi nawawala sa inyo ang pagtulong, kaya lubos po ang aming pasasalamat (We are very thankful that despite any adjustments that the company must be undergoing during the transition period, Shell continues to help us,” said Fababier. “Abot po sa langit ang aming pasasalamat.”