2020 marks the 20th year of JG Summit Petrochemicals Group’s (JGSPG) Abot Kamay Christmas Outreach program. For the last 19 years, the annual outreach had been an event that students from the three schools in JGSPG’s host communities always looked forward to for gift-giving and merrymaking, in celebration of the holiday season.
This year as community quarantine restrictions kept students at home, JGSPG tailored its Abot Kamay outreach to adapt to the current situation. Taking the place of the usual festivities a much smaller group of JGSPG employee volunteers took time off to help distribute Christmas packages for students and teachers alike. Each package included ingredients for kids’ much loved spaghetti, and other Universal Robina favorites C2 ready-to-drink tea beverage and Cream-O chocolate cookie sandwich.
The activity was held on December 7 timed with the schedule of parents’ visit to the schools for submission of module materials, as part of the distance learning system that has taken the place of traditional face-to-face classes. Christmas packages for 473 students of Simlong Elementary, 189 students of Pinamucan Ibaba Elementary and 550 students of Pinamucan Proper Elementary, together with 52 faculty members and staff from all three schools, were given out.
Simlong Elementary Principal Mrs. Eva Manalo and Pinamucan Ibaba Elementary Principal Mrs. Maritess Tarcelo turned to social media to express their gratitude. Mrs. Manalo posted in her Facebook account, “Maraming salamat po sa maagang pa-Pasko ng JG Summit sa mga ma-aaral ng Simlong Elementary School.”
“Early Christmas gifts from JG Summit Petrochemicals Group! Thank you so much po from the bottom of our hearts!”, said Mrs. Tarcelo. Parents likewise sent their thanks online.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, JGSPG ensured to continue the Abot Kamay outreach, albeit scaled down and sans the festive program. With this the company hoped that it was able to continue on with the Abot Kamay Christmas tradition started two decades ago, of spreading the holiday cheer to the students, parents and teachers of its host communities.
