QC school gets 200 chairs made from ‘hot logs’

MANILA, Philippines–The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) turned over last week 200 armchairs made from “hot logs” to a Quezon City school.

Tesda Director General Joel Villanueva personally delivered the chairs, products of 10 of the agency’s furniture manufacturing facilities, to Pasong Tamo Elementary School last Thursday.

The turnover was witnessed by representatives from the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Quezon City officials including Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte.

Villanueva expressed hope that furniture as simple as the 200 chairs manufactured from approximately 2,400 board feet of lumber would somehow make a big difference in the community and encourage more kids to go to school.

The initiative, part of the multi-agency Pnoy Bayanihan project launched in March 2011, aims to put to good use illegal logs seized by authorities in the provinces.

Pnoy Bayanihan is a partnership among Tesda, DepEd, DENR and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to help ease the lack of chairs and other furniture in public schools nationwide.–Jeannette I. Andrade