DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 03 April) – Davao City received a total of 1,715 electronic tablets in support of its “Student Siblings Tablet Sharing Project” for indigent junior and senior high school students, the bulk of donation coming from the Chinese government.
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Philippines donated 1,000 Lenovo tablets, the Chinese Consulate-General’s Office here gave 310 Huawei tablets and the International Department of the Communist Party of China donated 100 Samsung tablets, the City Information Office (CIO) reported on Apri l1.
The CIO report said Mayor Sara Duterte received the gadgets from Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian via online turnover on March 31 and thereafter distributed the first 100 gadgets to students during a ceremony at the People’s Park.
Duterte said she hopes the students would utilize the devices efficiently as they strive for excellence in achieving their goals.
“Despite the challenges the current pandemic has brought, may you continue to value the importance of education and see it as a beacon of hope in creating a brighter future for yourselves,” she said.
The CIO report said the other donations came from the Ongpin Foundation Inc., which gave 280 MyPhone tablets and JV Angeles Construction Corporation which gave 25 Lenovo/HP laptops.
“Student Siblings Tablet Sharing Project.” according to the city government, is intended to support junior and senior high school students from indigent families, or those living with a single parent, or living with indigent guardians. The beneficiaries must have online and offline classes, must live in an area with electricity, and must have two or more siblings also enrolled to share the gadgets with.
In a press release, Huang said the donation was intended to support the implementation of the blended distance learning modality of the city, mitigate disruptions in education, and help students get better access to distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the embassy vowed continued support for the endeavors of the local government in education through scholarships and other material assistance, and to promote its economic recovery and social development in the long-term.
Huang added that China and the Philippines have been cooperating in pandemic response.
He said China donated one million doses of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines while another batch of one million doses that were purchased by the Philippines arrived in the Philippines last March 29. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
