5 Tondo schools get armchairs from hot logs

22 July 2015

A fresh batch of 2,000 armchairs manufactured from confiscated logs found their way to five elementary schools in Tondo, Manila.
 
"Now, when the teacher says 'take your seat,' we know each student will have his own armchair," Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Joel Villanueva said.
 
"Sitting comfortably in a classroom is one of the keys to boosting student engagement," he added.
 
The newly-produced armchairs were turned over on July 22 to the Rosauro Almario Elementary School, Jose Corazon De Jesus Elementary School, Magat Salamat Elementary School, Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School, Isabelo Delos Reyes Elementary School, which are all in Tondo, Manila.
 
Villanueva led the guests in a ceremony held at the Rosauro Almario Elementary School, who included city officials, and officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
 
The initiative is under the Pinoy Bayanihan Project, a joint undertaking among TESDA, DepEd, DENR and PAGCOR. The project puts to good use confiscated logs in the provinces by turning them into school armchairs. PAGCOR provided the funds to purchase training equipment used in the project, and DepEd takes charge of distributing the armchairs to school beneficiaries. DENR, on the other hand, donates the confiscated logs to TESDA.
 
TESDA set up production centers in Caraga Region and in Metro Manila and tapped its training-cum production   approach to manufacture the chairs.
 
"We will keep the armchairs coming even as the school year has begun.  This administration will continue working to help ensure a zero backlog in school armchairs nationwide," Villanueva said.
 
Simultaneous with the turnover of the furniture, TESDA and the local government also gathered some of its graduates in a skills demonstration.  They also provided the residents with free services such as haircut, massage and medical check-up in collaboration with TESDA partners.
 
Help desks were also set up to assist those interested in availing TESDA's scholarship programs.