Thirty four SIKAT scholars of Lopez-led geothermal leader Energy Development Corporation (EDC) recently received their brand new ASUS laptops last 22-23 October as the learning environment in the country shifted to online and modular classes due to threats of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
EDC tapped Taiwan-based multinational computer and electronics company ASUS to provide laptops for free to the SIKAT scholars in Kananga, Leyte and Ormoc City as they venture towards the new normal of online learning.
EDC Corporate Social Responsibility Head for its Leyte geothermal facility, Erwin Magallanes, said it has always been the company’s top priority to support unprivileged but deserving students through its newly branded flagship education program SIKAT.
Magallanes, likewise, expressed his gratitude to ASUS for its laptop donation to SIKAT scholars. “We thank ASUS for their support to our program, which will definitely help our students in obtaining quality education despite the current remote learning set-up,” he said.
One of the recipients, Rica Baring, Batch 2018 BS Mechanical Engineering from Visayas State University, expressed her utmost gratitude to EDC and ASUS for their support in achieving her dreams of completing tertiary education. “Words cannot describe how thankful we, SIKAT scholars, are for receiving the laptops. Through this, we can accomplish and perform our school tasks efficiently. We are eternally grateful for the support that the companies have provided us. This will serve as our inspiration to strive harder in chasing our dreams,” Baring said.
Kananga town Mayor Matt Torres facilitated the turnover of 20 laptops to SIKAT scholars in Kananga, Leyte while 14 laptop units were given to scholars from Ormoc City.
The laptop units, with memory capacity of 1 TB HDD and runs an Intel Core i3-1005G1 Processor, will help the students attend synchronous classes, execute their class assignments and do research for their class requisites.
Moreover, each student beneficiary of the laptops also received one unit of pocket wifi from EDC to enable them to connect to the internet and have hassle-free remote learning access and environment.
SIKAT is EDC’s flagship education program that aims to help the youth in EDC’s host communities to have access to quality education and enable them to become productive citizens and change-makers in our society.
EDC’s Leyte geothermal facility that straddles between Ormoc City and the Municipality of Kananga currently supplies more than 30% of the country’s installed geothermal capacity.
In total, EDC generates over 40% of the Philippines’ renewable energy output and serves about 10% of the country’s overall electricity demand with its installed capacity of 1,499MW. Its over 1,200MW geothermal portfolio accounts for 62% of the country’s total installed geothermal capacity, putting the Philippines on the map as the world’s third largest geothermal power producer. (PR)
