Syngenta distributes bags, supplies in Oro

AIDS continue to pour in for survivors of Typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro, six months after the December 2011 tragedy.

Syngenta Foundation Inc. (Philippines) distributed bags and school supplies to schoolchildren in one of the remotest areas in the city last Friday.

Ritchell R. Recoter, senior coordinator for the company’s corporate social responsibility division, said 294 pupils from San Simon Elementary School and 132 students from San Simon National High School in Barangay San Simon availed of its “Bag to School” program.

OFFICIALS of Syngenta Foundation take time out to distribute bags and school supplies to students of San Simon Elementary School and San Simon National High School last Friday. (Joey P. Nacalaban)

Recoter said it was the company’s fulfillment of its promise a month after typhoon Sendong hit the city.

“When we visited Cagayan de Oro, we’ve seen a lot of people coming from different companies and government agencies helped the victims and survivors of the catastrophe. Though donations poured in, we noticed that San Simon, we think, was deprived of help so we decided to share something exclusively for them,” he told Sun.Star.

Recoter added that “based also on our business, which is in the agricultural industry, we want to help the children of the farmers in this farming community. Ayaw na rin kasi naming sumabay sa napakaraming grupo na tumutulong din, that’s why we chose San Simon, which is one of the far-flung areas in the city.”

Nap Saavedra, head of Syngenta Foundation, said they prepared 500 packages for the children coming from contributions of company employees, in partnership with National Bookstore and JRS Express.

Maria Censusa Abuel, principal of San Simon Elementary School, said they were delighted with what the group has extended to them.

“Out of 69 schools and 80 barangays in Cagayan de Oro, we didn’t expect that they (Syngenta) chose San Simon, a non-popular school in the city. This is the first-ever help we received from a private company. It’s bongaseous (terrific),” she said.

When asked if given a chance to request for another help, the school principal said: “Somehow, the media could ask Congressman Benjo Benaldo to finish our covered court. We also need more instructional materials, compact disc player, television sets and computers.”

Saavedra said aside from its “Bag to School” program, Syngenta is also offering scholarship grants to 44 children who are given the chance to study in different colleges in the Philippines such as Central Mindanao University in Bukidnon, University of Southeastern Philippines, University of Southern Mindanao, and Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro.

“No strings attached. Pagkatapos nila sa pag-aaral, they can go to other companies or work with us. We also extend medical mission to different places in the country and we have pest control programs against dengue-carrying mosquitoes,” he added.

Mercy, a mother of two pupils at San Simon elementary school, expressed gratitude to Syngenta for the gift.