IT IS gratifying to be in the company of partners discussing the future of children in the realm of education. I was present in the gathering organized by the Bohol I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BOHECO I) in tandem with their advocacy partner, the Department of Education-Division of Bohol (DepEd-Bohol), together with media friends, to witness the signing of an Adopt-A-School Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the two parties at the MetroCentre Hotel in Tagbilaran City on March 4, 2025.
In sum, R.A. No. 8525 mandates the “Adopt-A-School Program” to provide quality and relevant education to the Filipino youth and to encourage private initiative to support public education. It allows private entities to assist a public school, whether elementary, secondary, or tertiary . . . in, but not limited to, staff and faculty development for training and further education; construction of facilities; upgrading of existing facilities, provision of books, publications, and other instructional materials; and modernization of instructional technologies.
Never missing an opportunity to partner with the community, BOHECO I collaborated with DepEd-Bohol through a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative embracing three projects that comprise the former’s Adopt-A-School Program. These include BOHECO I’s BEST or the Medallion of Excellence; Brigada Electric Check or Rewiring and Enhancing Worn-out or Impaired Realms for Education; and Pack ‘n Tops. This is the electric cooperative’s (EC) way to assist in delivering quality education, especially to students in public schools located within its franchise area.
What’s in the MOA?
First, Boosting Excellence among Students Today (BOHECO I’s BEST) recognizes students who have achieved academic excellence amid challenges by awarding them with the Medallion of Excellence. A total of 554 public elementary school- and high school-recipients will garner the award. Second, the Brigada Electric Check or Rewiring and Enhancing Worn-out or Impaired Realms for Education (REWIRE) supports Brigada Eskwela by rehabilitating classrooms with damaged or unsafe electrical wiring or installation. The project will benefit ten recipient-schools. Third, Packs ‘n Tops supports the Brigada Eskwela Plus Program by providing schools with supplies and materials for pupils. Five recipient-schools will benefit from this project. The MOA is valid for at least two years commencing on the date of signing and may be extended upon mutual agreement by both parties.
The amount of Php 875,000.00 is earmarked for the program, broken down into a) BEST at Php 390,000.00; b) REWIRE at Php 375,000.00; and c) Packs ‘n Tops at Php 110,000.00.
Lorenzo B. Bangcoy, BOHECO I board president and Dr. Eduardo A. Ompad, assistant schools division superintendent representing Dr. Fay C. Luarez, schools division superintendent, signed the MOA. The happy occasion was attended by several principals, in-charge of schools, DepEd officials and personnel, and the BOHECO I team.
In his message of partnership, Dr. Ompad said, “DepEd is a very large organization and not everything the schools need could be provided in just a wink of an eye or a flick of a finger. However, we look at this as an opportunity to connect with people and kind-hearted organizations with genuine concern for education. And we found that concern and generosity from BOHECO I.”
Meanwhile, Engr. Roxas informed the educators that solar panels will be provided to eight schools belonging to the EC’s eight underserved areas. Underserved areas are defined as those whose power supply is served by the National Power Corporation-Small Power Utilities Group (NPC-SPUG) whose residents enjoy limited electricity in the evenings, between six to eight hours. These solar panels will enable the schools to experience electricity during daytime. Educators warmly applauded this information and commitment.
It will be recalled that NPC, an attached agency of the Department of Energy, has remained a government-owned and -controlled corporation mandated to provide missionary electrification by powering the archipelago’s farthest islands through SPUG. In BOHECO I’s franchise area, the following are served by NPC-SPUG: Pamilacan Island, Baclayon; Balicasag Island, Panglao; and Cuaming Island, Inabanga with twenty-four-hour continuous power supply daily, and Mantatao Island, Calape; Batasan Island, Tubigon; Ubay Island, Tubigon; Bilang-bilangan Island, Tubigon; Pangapasan Island, Tubigon; Mocaboc Island, Tubigon; Bagongbanwa Island, Tubigon; and Hambongan Island, Inabanga operating for eight hours daily (4:00 p.m.-12:00 midnight) with a flexible variation at 2:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. Interestingly, the energization of this island-barangays was initiated by BOHECO I before their actual turnover to SPUG including the EC’s generation assets.
From its early beginnings—under the leadership of Governor Lino I. Chatto and general manager, Atty. Getulio D. Calope, (Manoy Tulio was my grandma Pateria Calope Lungay’s brother) up to the present, BOHECO I continues to stamp its indelible mark in community service and sustainable partnerships in Bohol.
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The writer hosts Woman Talk with Belinda Sales every Saturday, 10 a.m. at 91.1 Balita FM Tagbilaran City. Momentarily, Woman Talk is taking a short break. Email at belindabelsales@gmail.com. X @ShilohRuthie./PN
