EDC, National Bookstore provide school supplies to Negros students amid pandemic

Negros Occidental, Philippines, October 22, 2021 — First Gen-owned Energy Development Corporation (EDC) teamed up once again with National Bookstore Foundation, Inc. and distributed school supplies to over 3,200 students from six public elementary schools in Barangay Mailum, Bago City, and Barangay Minoyan, Murcia to help them cope with the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unlike its school supplies distribution events pre-pandemic, there was no mass gathering this year. COVID-19 health protocols were strictly observed to ward off virus transmission when the school supplies were dropped off at the schools.

Apart from giving school supplies, EDC gave an additional 10 reams of bond paper to each school from its MakiPAPEL employee donation drive to further help the students and teachers with their modular learning materials for distance learning.

“EDC never fails to give to our learners despite the pandemic,” said Ms. April Joy Biboso, faculty member of F. Barandiaran Elementary School. “They are consistent and very responsive to our needs.”

Ms. Amygine Bance, a teacher from Minoyan Elementary School, shared the same sentiment as one of the recipients. To prevent classes from falling behind as the pandemic stretches on, educators need more general instructional support in adapting to the curriculum and accelerating the teaching-learning process.

“It’s a great help for the community to have such loyal partners with a big heart that support the academic needs of learners as well as the teachers,” she added.

The organization started giving out school supplies in 1993 and has long been involved in combining business success with social change through its educational projects and environmental stewardship.

Norreen Bautista, Head of EDC’s Corporate Social Responsibility Department in Negros Island, shared this message to the schools: “Let us remember, CARE: C for Collaborative that amidst this pandemic, we have this spirit to be collaborative, A-Agile, we are ready to adjust and be available for our learners, R for Responsive, we are responsive to the need of our dear pupils and students, and lastly, E for Engaging to our stakeholders—our pupils, students, parents, and to the community where we belong.”

Bautista emphasized the behaviors that are consistent with their new mission of forging collaborative partnerships toward a decarbonized and regenerative future.

EDC, with its Geo 24/7 campaign, is the country’s premier renewable energy company and one of the world’s largest geothermal power producers. Its 222.5-megawatt facility in Valencia, Negros Oriental has been supplying an uninterrupted supply of clean power to Negros Island and to the rest of the Visayas region for almost 40 years.*