Philippines - Japanese Philanthropist Donates School Buildings

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has accepted the turnover of school buildings donated by a Japanese philanthropist who wants to help schools along the route of the infamous Death March.

Luistro said the donation is a concrete manifestation of healing from the bitter memories of the World War II and of looking forward Buildingsto a future with hope and positivism.

“We thankfully accept this donation from R.K Shimizu (Nagasaki) Foundation, Inc. through its president Mr. Katsutoshi Shimizu whose mission is to help build dreams and bridge societies. We hope many will follow suit,” Luistro said.

The donated buildings were for Bantan Elementary School in Orion, Bataan and Angelina Jimenez Elementary School in Capas, Tarlac.

Each school received a two-classroom building with toilet, a Japanese garden, two sets of computer units, two sets of LCD TV units, school uniforms and classroom equipment including tables, chairs and chalkboards.

The donation is lodged under DepEd’s Adopt-A-School program which invites the private sector to donate to public schools and help raise the quality of education.

For Shimizu, the best way to pay back the government for more than 40 years of successfully doing business in the Philippines is to build classrooms and provide Filipino school children with a comfortable learning environment.

To date, the foundation has donated school buildings and the same set of school furniture to a school in Talisay and two schools in Calatagan, Batangas.

Luistro said the chairs and tables which were donated by the Prefecture of Nagasaki where Shimizu hails are designed not only to carry five times the weight of an adult person but also to protect school children in times of emergency.

Shimizu, now 74, first visited the Philippines in 1969 and has since made good business in bringing to the Philippines used assorted ships/parts and Japanese technology. Having been in and out of the country more than 500 times, Shimizu considers the Philippines his second home.

To prove his commitment to help Philippine education Shimizu said he created the Shimizu foundation and ordered this son to continue his legacy even if he is gone.

INA HERNANDO-MALIPOT

MB.com

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