By Rey Anthony H. Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol,
July 3 (PIA) -- She comes to school on slippers her parents gave her as a
prize for getting to the class top ten.
A full summer later, Eva’s (not her real name) heels leave an unmistakable indentation of wear and the entire slipper has thinned, barely able to protect her feet from the unforgiving sharp stones.
School is half a kilometer away, following a dirt trail to her home tucked in a low cliff overlooking the seas of Tubigon.
“I could go to school on these,” Eva, 9 years old, in her pleated faded blue school uniform and bleached white blouse confessed, as she looked at her worn out pair.
“My Tatay told us he used to go to school barefoot. This, is a lot better," she continued, showing off her red slippers.
This girl and 254 more pupils of Kinabag-an Elementary School in Panggangan Island off Calape are no longer going to school barefoot or on thin slippers!
Under the Police Community Relations Project, Bohol police contribute at least a new pair of slippers every payday, all for the noble intention of motivating more kids to school, said PO2 Ronnie Conarco, of the PCR, a few minutes before the formal turnover of a pair of slippers to pupils.
Started when Bohol was under then PSSupt Rodolfo Llorca, the PCR 'Libreng Tsinelas' was envisioned as a Christmas gift to children in poor communities, said Camp Dagohoy Information Officer Jennifer Atanacio.
Now carried on by PSSupt Constantino Barot, the program has then shifted to a highlight of the local police office as a Balik-Eskwela Program, Atanacio continued.
Recently, Col. Barot led the BPPO in its community outreach program to Barangay Panggangan, where the regular Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis engaged the police and the media in a news conference and peace and order updates.
'Libreng Tsinelas' turn over ceremonies happened after that and Kinabag-an principal Senen Salinas profusely thanked the police officers for the special gesture to the kids in his school.
For about over an hour, the kids eagerly waited for their turn to try on from a display of slippers from Bohol PNP at the school basketball court, while kinder pupils to higher grade levels had their turn.
In grateful appreciation of the gesture, the pupils rendered a mass dance presentation “Gangnam Style,” all with brand new slippers.
Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) made sure that coming to school daily on this island, accessible from the mainland by some 6 kilometers of causeway, is a lot more fun. (mbcn/rahc/PIA7-Bohol)
A full summer later, Eva’s (not her real name) heels leave an unmistakable indentation of wear and the entire slipper has thinned, barely able to protect her feet from the unforgiving sharp stones.
School is half a kilometer away, following a dirt trail to her home tucked in a low cliff overlooking the seas of Tubigon.
“I could go to school on these,” Eva, 9 years old, in her pleated faded blue school uniform and bleached white blouse confessed, as she looked at her worn out pair.
“My Tatay told us he used to go to school barefoot. This, is a lot better," she continued, showing off her red slippers.
This girl and 254 more pupils of Kinabag-an Elementary School in Panggangan Island off Calape are no longer going to school barefoot or on thin slippers!
Under the Police Community Relations Project, Bohol police contribute at least a new pair of slippers every payday, all for the noble intention of motivating more kids to school, said PO2 Ronnie Conarco, of the PCR, a few minutes before the formal turnover of a pair of slippers to pupils.
Started when Bohol was under then PSSupt Rodolfo Llorca, the PCR 'Libreng Tsinelas' was envisioned as a Christmas gift to children in poor communities, said Camp Dagohoy Information Officer Jennifer Atanacio.
Now carried on by PSSupt Constantino Barot, the program has then shifted to a highlight of the local police office as a Balik-Eskwela Program, Atanacio continued.
Recently, Col. Barot led the BPPO in its community outreach program to Barangay Panggangan, where the regular Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis engaged the police and the media in a news conference and peace and order updates.
'Libreng Tsinelas' turn over ceremonies happened after that and Kinabag-an principal Senen Salinas profusely thanked the police officers for the special gesture to the kids in his school.
For about over an hour, the kids eagerly waited for their turn to try on from a display of slippers from Bohol PNP at the school basketball court, while kinder pupils to higher grade levels had their turn.
In grateful appreciation of the gesture, the pupils rendered a mass dance presentation “Gangnam Style,” all with brand new slippers.
Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) made sure that coming to school daily on this island, accessible from the mainland by some 6 kilometers of causeway, is a lot more fun. (mbcn/rahc/PIA7-Bohol)