Phoenix Petroleum helps bridge the education gap

The social arm of Phoenix Petroleum is giving back to the community it serves by adopting schools for the children and implementing training programs for the youth.

Phoenix Philippines Foundation has adopted F. Bangoy Central Elementary School in Davao or the past six years, bringing change to people’s lives.

Through the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program of the Department of Education (DepEd), Phoenix Livelihood Training Center was able to reach out to more than 1,000 youths in Davao alone.

The Alternative Learning System serves as a gateway for out- of- school youths to go back to school; it bridges the academic gaps between where the students stopped and where they should be.

Maria Lorena Fabro, one of the beneficiaries of the training program, will take the assessment exams from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority ( TESDA) in January 2017 for an NC II level of certification on welding, while Cyril Alvarez, a student in the academic track of the ALS Program, will be joining senior high school in the academic year 2017- 2018 as a grade 11 student.

For the last half a decade, the Phoenix Livelihood Training Center, one of the many programs sponsored by Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. through the foundation, has produced thousands of skilled workers in various fields. Phoenix provides training facilities and equipment for the students and honorarium for the trainers and teachers.

Ricardo Bohol, the head coordinator for the F. Bangoy Central Elementary School, used to work for a private insurance company prior to teaching.

“When I decided to teach, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. But when you love what you do, there is not a thing that is too difficult,” he said.

“These children were given a second chance. Their journey started when they decided to join school. Our goal is to guide these children to a better future,” he said.