Tour guides donate supplies to school kids
2 MIN READ
By GWEN GAONGEN
www.nordis.net
SAGADA, Mt. Province — The Sagada Environmental Guides Association (SEGA) donated assorted school supplies to 86 elementary school pupils at the Maket-an Elementary School of Barangay Bantey, Tadian, Mt. Province last September 9.
The Mountaineering group under the SEGA usually take tourists to mountaineering treks from the Ampacao Summit of Sagada to Maket-an route. On September 08, SEGA was able to raise some funds from tourists’ registration fees. According to SEGA president Jerry “Biag” Gaongen, the funds were decided by the group to be allotted for school supplies such as paper, pencils, erasers, crayons and books. These were augmented by some of their tourist friends.
SEGA chose the Maket-an Elementary School as beneficiary as they were impressed by the school’s contribution to the campaign of reduce, reuse, recycle as part of the waste management efforts. Pupils at the school reuse blank side of paper for their school needs.
Moreover, the group saw that the pupils really needed support as are come from marginalized peasant families. The SEGA members who often trek to the Maket-an area say that students maximize the use of their pencils, to some 3” inches or less for their lessons. Most do not even have erasers and other school supplies.
Like most of rural elementary schools in Mt. Province, Maket-an Elementary School is short of basic necessities. For instance, grades 4 and 5 share one classroom. The SEGA contribution to the school is the very least that the group can do for the school says Biag Gaongen. He says that hopefully the community will be able to retain its scenic beauty and continue with its environmentally sound practices. Not only is the area a haven for mountaineers, it contributes also to sustainable livelihoods of farmers along the area, Biag added.
SEGA is the pioneer tourist guide organization in Sagada. It has been in existence since the late 80’s. To date, the organization boasts of 96 members. They are advocates of environmental protection not only because Sagada’s allure to tourists is its natural scenic spots but because the group recognizes the negative effects of environmental destruction to livelihoods and risks to disasters.
SEGA also periodically conducts first aid and emergency response trainings for its members, schools and other groups willing to tap their skills. They have featured in rescue and extrication missions in emergency situations in the municipality as well as in the province. # nordis.net
