Isolated Benguet school recipient of needed ‘gift’

KIBUNGAN, Benguet – An isolated school here where there is no electricity received a much-needed “gift” last week courtesy of the of the Kindasan Lions Club of Baguio and the Benguet Electric Coop.

More than 100 students of the Kibungan National High School Dalipey Extension stand to benefit from a generator given to the school where teachers have to walk around 10 hours to the poblacion to do their regular reports and another 10 hours back to Barangay Dalipey.

Teaching is a sacrifice for the teachers who only leave the school as needed and go home at the end of the school year. Beneco raised more than P24,000 for the purchase of the generator – a longtime dream of the KNHS Dalipey, Tacadang barangay Extension teachers so their students could use the school’s only computer but in the past could not due to lack of electricity.

The locality is part of two percent of Benguet barangays Beneco has yet to energize due to steep and wild terrain.

“They want to teach their students basic computer to prepare them when they go to college in the city,” said Rose White of the KLC who spearheaded and coordinated the fundraising for the generator.

Around 20 to 30 students graduated yearly since the Dalipey extension started in 2003. The school serves nearby barangays of of Kibungan, as well as the neighboring town of Bakun , Benguet.

The terrain going to Dalipey from Kibungan’s poblacion is dangerous and virtually impossible to negotiate, the locals said, adding they do not allow anyone from going there without a guide due to the steep terrain. “One can only reach the area by walking a pathway and hiking 10-hours from the Poblacion and in case anyone falls on either side one won’t even see where to land,” said White.”

Kibungan is four hours away from Baguio traveling by land.

White, a scion of the Fianza family from Kapangan learned of the plight of the students early January this year when she went there to conduct a `career guidance’ session among graduating fourth year high school students. She represented one of the leading universities of Baguio.

“Director George Montes pledged P10,000 from his social fund as start-up money that gave me the courage to continue despite the initial hitch when the school I represented turned down my proposal.” she said.

The turn-over was a poignant moment for White when the KNHS principal sang Colin Raye’s song “The Gift” during a simple program at the KNHS main campus.

“The gift of electricity through the genset eased the teachers’ and students feeling of isolation,” White said.

To sustain the generator, Kibungan mayor Benito Siadto and chairperson for education of the local council Cecilio Fianza committed to provide the regular supply of gasoline to run the generator.