Testimony of John Marcq Francisco, student of Tiglawigan Elementary School
“When typhoon Yolanda hit our place, it was the worst experience. We didn’t know what to do because of the strong winds and heavy rains that poured. After the typhoon, we saw how horrible things really were. There were many houses that were damaged by the typhoon. I returned to school on November 10 and was shocked with what I saw. It was a mess! There were two classrooms without roofs; trees and tree branches were everywhere. Our teachers had already started cleaning with the help of some pupils who came to school.”
Several months later, there came some foreigners looking at our classrooms and the school. That’s how we came to know Virlanie Foundation and her partners. They are French people who have given hope to our school. We know Sir Dominique Lemay is a very generous and kind-hearted man. He was the one inspecting our classrooms for rehabilitation.
Through Sir Mario Gerona, they started repairing the two classrooms which are now the Science Lab and the new ICT room. They also constructed the School Canteen, and it looks great. They also provided water and sanitation facilities through Pompiers Solidaires volunteers from France. I am very grateful for the opportunity given, it really helped us a lot. The many classrooms Virlanie and her partners rebuilt are very nice to look at and are much sturdier.
Aside from repairing classrooms, they built new buildings with four classrooms that is now occupied by Grade VI students. I am enjoying and loving the wide classroom. I am very thankful for all the blessings that the Lord Almighty showered the students of Tiglawigan Elementary School of Barangay Tiglawigan through Virlanie Foundation Inc., Pompiers Solidaires, and L’Amade. This is one of a kind. Thank you very much and God bless us all.”
