Most child-friendly town now home to Little Red School

Recognized three times for being the most child-friendly municipality in the region, Maitum in Mindanao’s Sarangani province easily became a hall of fame awardee for the said distinction last 2008. Maitum Mayor Elsie Lucille Perrett said that this would not have been possible if not for the people themselves who are dedicated to their work at improving the life of the community through the collective efforts of local government agencies like the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, the Municipal Health Office and the Department of Education District of Sarangani.
When the town recently became home to the 79th Little Red Schoolhouse (LRS) therefore, the honor became an affirmation that indeed Maitum has the welfare of their children topmost in mind. Upo Elementary School, located in Maitum’s barangay Upo, is the latest beneficiary of Coca-Cola Foundation’s school-building project that began in 1997.
Last June 25, 2009, the newly-constructed school building was formally inaugurated in a customary turn-over ceremony led by Coca-Cola Foundation President Cecile Alcantara, Department of Education Division representative Rolando Nerpiol and Mayor Perrett. Also present were Bro. Robert McGovern of Notre Dame University, Sebastian Paralejas, Barangay Captain of Upo, Brian Paul Villena, Bobby Correlo and Boyet Cayena of Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines-General Santos Plant. Bong Esguerra, senior community relations specialist of Globe Telecom, was also in attendance to represent the telecom company which sponsored one classroom in the said school building.
“We are very lucky to be the chosen recipient of this program especially because the community’s population is dominated by indigenous peoples. Education is really important because the population is growing. To us, this is a blessing that we are so grateful for,” Perrett said.
The municipal mayor also shared that some of the local government’s programs included the provision of school supplies to day care pupils in their locality. Even Upo Elementary School teacher Marjorie Rebueno attests to the unwavering support of the mayor in giving education a boost in the community. Following the Sa Aklat Sisikat Reading Program training that she attended with school principal Marlene Napila and co-teacher Karen Kusin, Rebueno said that Perrett offered to sponsor free meals for the pupils in order to encourage them to stay in school after class hours for the daily reading session. Sa Aklat Sisikat Reading Program is part of the Little Red Schoolhouse series of training in which elementary schoolteachers are taught various tools and techniques that are geared towards encouraging children to develop a genuine love for reading.
Other LRS trainings include capacity building for the parents, teachers and community association (PTCA) where the Little Red Schoolhouse is located. Through this training, the community is empowered to foster, maintain and improve the school that was donated to them by Coca-Cola Foundation.
“Coca-Cola can be assured that we are going to take care of this gift (LRS),” Mayor Perrett said. “With this, the local government of Maitum commits to enriching the lives of the children in our municipality in order to help shape a brighter future for them.”