SMPC donates books to 7,500 Caluya students

Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) recently donated educational storybooks to over 7,500 public and private school students in Caluya, Antique.

Commissioned by SMPC and published by Adarna House, the storybooks aim to boost student literacy amid the ongoing distance learning setup because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Remote classes can be tough for young students. With these books, we hope to give them something new to enjoy and learn from,” said SMPC President and COO Maria Cristina C. Gotianun.

Titled “A Home for Giants” and “Ang Paaralan ni Tatay”, the donated books also form part of the information, education and communication program of SMPC.

“A Home for Giants” chronicles the journey of Taks, a giant clam who found a permanent home in the waters of Semirara Island while “Ang Paaralan ni Tatay” depicts mining through the eyes of a boy and his miner-father.

The Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Antique “strongly recommends” the use of the two storybooks in the subjects of Science, English, Filipino, and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao.

“These learning materials promote love and appreciation for environment, family, and education which are appropriate to Grade 5, 6 and even high school learners,” said Felisa Beriong, CESO VI, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent of DepEd-Antique.

For Caluya Central School Principal Olive Joy Calanoy, the storybooks support DepEd’s Contextualization, Localization and Indigenization (CLI) of learning materials to make them relatable for learners.

“Readers from other islands will also have a vivid picture of the local settings described in the stories,” Calanoy said.

“Ang Paaralan ni Tatay reminds me to study hard and value the hard work of my parents as they sacrifice for us,” said Grade 5 pupil Samantha Fedge Gabrielle Sabuca-a of Semirara Adventist Academy.

“I liked the story of giant clams because it teaches us how to take care of these unique species,” said Grade 6 pupil Dave Cantao of Alegria Elementary School.

To further aid teachers and students, SMPC will be providing audio-visual book versions adaptive to the current online learning mode./PN