Korean firm turns over daycare center to Aeta kids in Pampanga

Hann Phils turns over a daycare center for Aetas in Barangay (village) Nabuclod, Floridablanca in Pampanga province on Friday, September 30, 2022. (Photo by Tonette Orejas)

FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga — Around 60 Aeta children here, whose daycare center was destroyed by a magnitude 6 earthquake in 2019, received a new study place on Friday.

The Korean-led high-end integrated lifestyle resort firm Hann Philippines turned over the new daycare center to the barangay (village) council of Nabuclod, one of two Aeta villages in the uplands of Floridablanca.

Hann Phils operates Widus, Clark Marriott and Swissotel in Clark Freeport.

Agnes Liwanag, Hann Philippines executive vice president for corporate planning, development, and communications, thanked the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and Philippine Air Force for helping build and secure the construction of the P1-million building.

Rodrigo Santos, the head teacher, said his wards, ages 3 to 4 years old, borrowed a room at the elementary school building after the earthquake on April 22, 2019.

“They wrote lying down on the floor,” Santos said, explaining the lack of chairs and tables during two shifts.

Roy Bacani, Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative in the municipal legislative council, said more Aetas in Nabuclod and Mawakat have better access to education after Mt. Pinatubo’s June 15, 1991 eruption. More than 200 children are currently enrolled in elementary schools, he said. INQ