Christmas comes early to 400 children of Solano

Dr. Leopoldo A. Valdez, Dean, Graduate School of Management, hands in the gifts to the children as Hon. Doretea S. Guillermo, Barangay Captain of Curifang, looks on.

As part of its outreach program, the Aldersgate College Graduate School (ACGS), through its Aldersgate College Graduate School Extension (AC-GraSE) Project, brought to more than 400 indigent children of Solano, ages 3-8 years old, an early Christmas present by conducting fun-filled children’s games, feeding and gift-giving activities on December 11, 2010, in the community centers of barangays Bagahabag and Curifang.

Dr. Nimfa Norie A. Aquino, District Supervisor of the Department of Education in the municipality of Quezon, in her keynote speech during the opening program in both barangays, challenged the community leaders, the parents, the students, the faculty and the staff of the Graduate School of Aldersgate College to strengthen further their partnership in attending to the needs of the children especially during the most crucial stage of their development so as to fully prepare them to their task as the pillars of our nation.

Hon. Dolores Binwag, President of the Councilor’s League of the Province of Nueva Vizcaya, graced also the outreach program in Bagahabag and delivered a short talk lauding the generosity and love of both the faculty and students of Aldersgate College in organizing the said activities for the children as they truly are the embodiment of the spirit of this joyous occasion. Hon. Binwag, an alumna of Aldersgate College herself, also encouraged the officials of the barangay to continue their unselfish support to the programs and activities of Aldersgate College in their community. She likewise intimated her office’s readiness to extend assistance to both the community and the school’s programs.

Mr. Daton Jonathan B. Palitayan, Jr., Director of AC’s Center for International Education and Project Coordinator of AC-GraSE Project, coordinated the said activities to the officials of the beneficiary barangays.

The daylong activities were facilitated by the members and officers of the Aldersgate College Graduate School Student Organization (ACGSSO) led by Mrs. Virginia B. Aroco, ACGSSO President and a second year Master of Arts in Educational Management student. The students themselves dug deep into their pockets to be able to provide the prizes for the games, the school supplies for the gift-giving and the food for the feeding program.

Jollibee, one of the municipality’s fast-food chains, donated snacks for the facilitators.#

Hon. Jose B. Corpuz, Sr., Barangay Captain of Bagahabag, welcomed and expressed his deepest gratitude to the ACGS faculty and staff for their early Christmas gift to the children in their community.

Dr. Nimfa Norie A. Aquino is flanked on the left by Dr. Elizabeth R. Pascual, Dean of the Graduate School of Education, and on the right by Hon. Doretea Guillermo, Barangay Captain of Curifang, after she received her Certificate of Appreciation being the Guest Speaker during the Outreach Program of the ACGS.

Hon. Dolores Binwag extends her felicitations to the community leaders and parents of Barangay Bagahabag and to the faculty and students of ACGS in her short talk during the Opening Program of the ACGS's outreach activities at barangay Bagahabag.