Students like Mark Chester Cabigao will benefit greatly from their school's new ETV setupHis hands are bent inwards, as are his feet. He uses his feet to write his notes in class. He said it has been like that since he was born, but the doctors said his feet can still be corrected through surgery.

Mark Chester Cabigao is a Grade 6 student at Balaybay Elementary School in Castillejos, Zambales. Despite his condition, his teacher said he writes faster than the other students.

Recently, Mark’s school became the beneficiary of Programa Genio, a special project under ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc.’s Operation Sagip. The school was given an educational television package through the generosity of Ramon Tolentino and his family. An ETV package has DVD materials of educational shows that were developed to enhance learning through multimedia—“Sineskwela" (science), “MathTinik” (mathematics), “Hiraya Manawari” ( values education), “Bayani” (Philippine history) and “Epol Apple” (English). It also includes a 32-inch television and a DVD player. 

Tolentino has been an overseas Filipino worker in the Middle East for the past 20 years. He is an alumnus of the school and the valedictorian of his class. 

Teacher Rosalina Lorion said that the ETV package will encourage students like Mark to study better. Since the package allows them to see and learn through the audiovisual materials, they will have a better understanding of their lessons.

There were no lanterns nor Christmas lights nor yuletide trees during the turnover of Tolentino’s donation. But the ETV package was indeed an early Christmas gift to everyone in Balaybay Elementary School.

For more information about the ETV package, visit www. abs-cbnfoundation.com.(Story/Photos by: Althea Cahayag)