| Project / Activity Title: | BALIK ESKWELA PIGSAG-AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
| Overview: Give a brief, one-sentence description of your project. |
| RCCDO’s annual Balik Eskwela project initiative provided school bags with school supplies, hygiene kits, slippers, and snacks to over 267 learners of Pigsan-An Elementary School situated in the remote highlands of Cagayan De Oro City. |
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| Detailed description: Provide details about your project, the purpose of the project, the project (or event) plan, and who the project will benefit (including how many people that will be). |
| Balik Eskwela is RCCDO’s decades-running project initiative that support less fortunate learners in Cagayan De Oro City’s urban and remote areas. The project helps supplement the learner’s household budget for schooling by augmenting their basic learning tools.  Each year we provide students with school bags and supplies, snacks, and other necessities in an engaging event attended by Rotarians and RCCDO Spouses. Short inspirational talks are also delivered to the students by club leaders to encourage perseverance in learning, give hope, and foster respect for authority.  As a background, RCCDO previously conducted a Books Across The Seas Project in the school and witnessed students lacking basic school supplies, and with some even walking barefoot. RCCDO then included the school in the RY2024-25 plans and programs under the Balik Eskwela initiative.  Pigsag-an Elementary public school is situated in the remote mountains of Cagayan De Oro City, 35 kilometers from the city center. As recently as 2019, the Philippine Army’s 65th Infantry Battalion overrun an NPA rebel camp in the Barangay, allowing government services to expand in the area. The project thus also served as a peace initiative in the community through the promise of supportive presence, and the club’s direct participation in their residents’ household needs. This directly reinforces the government’s effort in keeping lawless elements from taking advantage of the general community’s poverty and illiteracy.  Due to the critical nature of security in the locality, RCCDO partnered with different Local Government Units, the Department of Education, and the Philippine National Police for travel and event safety. RCCDO also combined two (2) Books Across The Seas projects for Barangays Tumpagon and Tagpangi, and the Kasuy Seedling Donation Livelihood and Environment Project in the event to maximize the trip and security initiatives.  Through the efforts of our member Rotarian Aerol Torralba, himself a Baranggay official in a neighboring LGU, RCCDO was provided with a Minibus and transport truck by Barangay Lumbia. The Department of Education, represented by Principal Neri, supervised the 2-Hour event involving over 300 students, faculty, officials, and Rotarians. Barangay Pigsag-an, under Barangay Captain Sonny Rondahan, provided the Baranggay Hall covered court as event venue because of the unavailability of shade in the school premises. The LGU also provided manpower, sound equipment, and refreshments.  The Philippine National Police provided a team with an officer as security detail during the travel and the event.  This year we included Hygiene Kits as part of our initiative to promote healthy oral and body care habits to the students, as well as pairs of slippers.  267 Learners each received a set of the following School sling bagSchool supplies (writing and coloring materials) Hygiene kit (a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and a bar of soap)Pair of slippers  300 Baked Siopaos (baked steamed pork buns) and Zesto Juice packs were distributed to the students, faculty, and personnel.  Total project cost allocated from RCCDO and Spouses club funds is Php59,506.51 and an additional estimated Php30,000+ in supplies were personally donated by Rotarians and spouses.  The project is co-chaired by PP Danny Empedrad, Lino Epanes, and Vicky Blanco (Spouses Counterpart). 12 Rotarians and 11 Spouses were present in the event. |
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| Project Category: Select all that apply. (Community, International, Vocational, New Generations, Fundraiser, Polio, Disaster Response, Area Of Focus – Promoting peace, Fighting disease, Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, Saving mothers and children, Supporting Education, Growing local economies): |
| Supporting Education, Promoting Peace, Fighting Disease |
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| Project Location: Provide name and address of the project location e.g. hospital, school or community center etc. |
| Pigsag-an Elementary School / Pigsag-an Barangay Hall Covered Court |
| Address / City / Province: |
| Cagayan De Oro City, Philippines |
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| Project Funding: Total Funding US$: USD1,552, Php90,000 |
| Funding Source: Global Grant, etc.: Club funds, member donations |
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| Project Partners: Rotaryproject partners, Project contacts, Rotary’s partners in service |
| Pigsag-an Elementary School, DEPED, Barangay Pigsag-an, Philippine National Police, Barangay Lumbia |
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| Add photography, video, and links |
| https://1drv.ms/f/s!AuoTlO6ZUQVclDWEbpCsaQcr49bH?e=hcQ9G3 |
