STUDENTS of the Subangdaku Technical Vocational School in Mandaue City will no longer merely observe how to cook and bake and use borrowed equipment during their Food Trade class.

The Aboitiz Foundation Inc.  recently turned over to the school a refurbished baking laboratory  with brand-new cooking and baking equipment. 

Myrna Yu, school principal, said that prior to the donation, the laboratory only had one gas range and the teacher would bring her own portable cooking equipment  to class.  The lack of equipment affected both the teaching and learning process, as students had to take turns in cooking and baking.

With the donation, Yu said they intend to  pursue their plan to sell cooked and baked goods to the community. “That is really our main objective—for our students to not only know how to cook and bake but also apply what they have learned to the community…Thank you for helping us make our dreams come true,” Yu said.

Sonny Carpio, executive vice president and managing trustee of the Aboitiz Foundation, said they thought of refurbishing the baking laboratory to help students learn baking and cooking, especially those who may not be able to  pursue a formal college education.

Carpio joined Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, Aboitiz Foundation board trustee Sebastian Lacson, Metaphil International chief finance officer Stephen Tan, Aboitiz Land Inc. assistant vice president Alan Alfon, and city, barangay and local education officials during the turnover ceremony.

Yu and Mandaue City Schools Division superintendent Virginia Zapanta both thanked the Aboitiz Foundation for “being sensitive to the needs of our children and our society.”

Mayor Cortes, for his part, said the donation was a timely response to the demand for more educational facilities in public schools.