Saranggani Province

Together with LANDBANK, CANVAS shared and exchanged stories with some elementary students in Saranggani Province last February 5, 2016. A total of 750 students from Nicomedes Tolentino Elementary School and Pangyan National High School received copies of either Inang Kalikasan's Bad Hair Day or Looking for Juan. 

The children were thirsty for books. They were really silent, listening intently during the story telling sessions. Some of them opened their books immediately, wrote their names on the first page, and read the story again. Others went to other classrooms and quitely shared their books to the lower grade levels. The Nicomedes Tolentino Elementary School has no library. Hence, CANVAS books are a great help for the kids to learn beyond the classroom walls. It was a very inspiring scenario, and indeed, a celebration of hope for the little ones. 

Mr. Butch Garcia and Mr. Raymond Sakiwat from the Corporate Social Responsibility Department of the LANDBANK Head Office spent their weekend at the municipality to oversee and participate in the book-giving. On the other hand, Mrs. Susan Acosta of LANDBANK General Santos facilitated the story telling sessions. This is the first time that one of CANVAS' corporate sponsors took part in a book-giving activity. LANDBANK's personnel did not only enjoy with the kids but also realized the hardship these students experience just to be able to complete their education. LANDBANK wishes to be able to participate

in activities like this regularly so as to help more children become lovers of reading and education.  

This book-giving activity would not have been possible if not for Hearts and Brains Youth Volunteers (HABYV), a service-oriented organization in General Santos City, which coordinated with the Saranggani local government.