PAGCOR donates school desks made out of old slot machine stands to six public schools
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) found good and timely use for more than 500 non-operational slot machine stands from its Casino Filipino branches: by converting them into two- or three-seater school desks for the use of public elementary school children.
PAGCOR recently donated 450 school desks made out of old slot machine stands to the public elementary schools of Bayan Luma I, Bayan Luma II, Gahak Marulas, and Toclong in Cavite, Pateros Elementary School in Pateros, and Ricardo P. Cruz Sr. Elementary School in Taguig City. An estimated 1,100 public elementary students are expected to benefit from the desks donated by PAGCOR, in time for the opening of classes next week.
(Photos) NEW SCHOOL DESKS FROM PAGCOR. Schoolchildren of Toclong Elementary School in Imus, Cavite show their appreciation for the 50 brand new three-seater school desks made out of old slot machine stands recently donated to their school by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). The donation, which brings to 450 the total number of school desks given out by PAGCOR to six public elementary schools, will benefit 1,100 public elementary students when the school year opens on June 6.
Maricar Bautista, PAGCOR’s Assistant VP for Corporate Communications, said the undertaking is part of the state-run gaming firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility programs. “Education ranks high in PAGCOR’s priority list. By turning these old slot machine stands into school desks, we are somehow able to address the shortage of classroom furniture in several public elementary schools in the country,” she noted.
“The inadequacy of functional and comfortable furniture in these schools affects the academic performance of the students. We would like to provide solutions to the burgeoning problem,” Bautista explained.
The school desks donated by PAGCOR are made from old and non-operational slot machine stands stored at the PAGCOR warehouse in Imus, Cavite. Each converted school desk costs about P500. “This is much cheaper compared to other school desks which reportedly can be bought for P2,000 to P2,500 each at prevailing market prices,” noted Bautista.
PAGCOR prioritizes the donation of school desks to public schools in depressed localities, where majority of students belong to low-income families.
Its most recent donation was at the Toclong Elementary School in Imus, Cavite where 50 units of three-seater desks were delivered. A handful of teachers and students who took part in this year’s Brigada Eskwela program of the Department of Education (DepEd) were on hand to receive the donation.
“Ay salamat naman po at sa wakas ay nagkaroon kami ng bagong mga upuan na matitibay,” exclaimed guidance counselor Perla Albaira, as she supervised the arrangement of the school desks in a classroom for grade one pupils.
Seven-year-old Kenneth Lopera, an incoming first grader this school year said he will go to school early for the opening of classes on June 6 so that he would be able to occupy one of the new school desks. “Papasok po ako nang maaga para po doon ako makaupo sa bagong upuan. Ang ganda po kasi!”
Toclong Elementary School is a 13-classroom learning facility located in Barangay Toclong I-C, Imus, Cavite with a total student population of more than 600.
Albaira said they are very grateful that PAGCOR took notice of their concern and offered to donate new and sturdy school desks. “Ngayon, kahit pa po siguro abutin ng ilang taon ay mayroong magagamit na matitibay na school desks ang mga estudyante namin. Mas marami na rin kaming matatanggap na mag-aaral kaya’t mas marami nang bata sa aming lugar ang makapag-aaral para magkaroon ng magandang kinabukasan,” Albaira concluded.
Apart from its school desks donations, PAGCOR is also part of the P-Noy Bayanihan Project which aims to produce thousands of school desks using confiscated logs from illegal logging. PAGCOR will initially provide P100 million funding for said project.