New Canaan Elementary School

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 29, 2009) – Pupils show their reading workbooks distributed by QUEST (Quality Education for Sarangani Today) staff and volunteers Thursday, June 25, who crossed a river 23 times and followed mountain trails for two days to reach the school. QUEST aims to provide 1:1 student-workbook ratio for Grade I and 22,663 grade workbooks for 217 primary schools in Sarangani. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Jomar Jalos)

QUEST program director

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 29, 2009) – Anne Eday, QUEST program director, leads staff and volunteers in the distribution of reading workbooks donated by Southern Philippines Power Corporation, Alcantara Foundation, the Provincial Governor’s Office and the Children’s Hour at New Canaan Elementary School Thursday, June 25, after a four-hour walk and several river crossings. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Mark Cajutol)

QUEST volunteers

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 29, 2009) – Crossing a river for 23 times and trekking mountain trails for two days, these QUEST volunteers and staff enjoy their time before reaching the town’s remotest schools for the distribution of QUEST’s (Quality Education for Sarangani Today)reading workbooks donated by Southern Philippines Power Corporation, Alcantara Foundation, the Provincial Governor’s Office and the Children’s Hour. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Mark Cajutol)

Quest workbooks

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 29, 2009) - Pupils show their reading workbooks distributed by QUEST (Quality Education for Sarangani Today) staff and volunteers Thursday June 25. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Mark Cajutol)

Banlibato Primary School

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 29, 2009) - Pupils of Banlibato Primary School pose outside their classroom with their QUEST (Quality Education for Sarangani Today) reading workbooks from Southern Philippines Power Corporation, Alcantara Foundation, the Provincial Governor’s Office of Sarangani and the Children’s Hour. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Tres Besana)

By horse

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 29, 2009) – Quality Education for Sarangani Today (QUEST) volunteers, with their guides from the community, transport the books by horse in the mountains. The activity aims to provide 1:1 student-workbook ratio for Grade I pupils donated by the Southern Philippines Power Corporation, Alcantara Foundation, the Provincial Governor’s Office and the Children’s Hour to the town’s remotest barangays. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Tres Besana)

Early morning reading

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 29, 2009) – Grade III pupil John Mark Blel reads his new reading workbook before going to Banlibato Primary School. Quality Education for Sarangani Today (QUEST) volunteers brought 841 workbooks to village schools of Alabel with 22,663 grade workbooks for 217 primary schools in the province, with the aim of providing 1:1 student-workbook ratio for Sarangani Grade I pupils. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Tres Besana)

Flag raising

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 29, 2009) – Banlibato Primary School pupils and teachers attend their flag raising ceremony Thursday, June 25, before the distribution of workbooks donated by Southern Philippines Power Corporation, Alcantara Foundation, the Provincial Governor’s Office of Sarangani and the Children’s Hour as part of the activities of Quality Education for Sarangani Today (QUEST). The school has two main structures with three classrooms where teachers hold combined classes. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Tres Besana)

Kiangkos Primary School

ALABEL, Sarangani (June 29, 2009) – Pupils show their grateful smile after receiving the reading workbooks distributed by QUEST (Quality Education for Sarangani Today) staff and volunteers Thursday, June 25, who crossed rivers and followed mountain trails for two days to reach the school. QUEST aims to provide 1:1 student-workbook ratio for Grade I and 22,663 grade workbooks for 217 primary schools in Sarangani. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/Mark Cajutol)

Blaan traditional practice

MALAPATAN, Sarangani (June 17, 2009) – Blaan men and women demonstrate the kasfala, the tribe’s traditional way of conflict resolution, at the 2nd Tribal Day Wednesday, June 17, in celebration of the town’s 40th Foundation Anniversary and 4th Pakaradyan Festival. Pakaradyan is a Maguindanaon term for thanksgiving or celebration, though the town is mostly populated by the indigenous Blaans. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Tahaw dance

MALAPATAN, Sarangani (June 17, 2009) – Male dancers perform a tahaw dance (bird dance) which, in Blaan tradition, symbolizes prosperity or harvest, during Tribal Day Wednesday, June 17, in celebration of the town’s 40th Foundation Anniversary and 4th Pakaradyan Festival. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Tribal parade

MALAPATAN, Sarangani (June 17, 2009) – Barangay tribal councils lead the tribal parade Wednesday, June 17, during the town’s 2nd Tribal Day at the town’s 40th Foundation Anniversary and 4th Pakaradyan Festival which culminates on June 21 with this year’s theme, “Moving Forward for the Progress of Malapatan”. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)