Fifteen primary schools in Albay and Sorsogon provinces that are hosting the Bacon-Manito (BacMan) geothermal plant received 150 laptops on Monday courtesy of the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) and LiteHaus International, an Australia-based non-profit organization.

Bac-Man Geothermal Inc. (BGI) owns and operates the 150-megawatt Bac-Man geothermal power plant nestled on a 25,000-hectare reservation that straddles between Bacon town in Sorsogon and Manito town in Albay.

In a phone interview, Ed Jimenez, EDC-Bacman’s corporate relations chief, said the 150 donated laptops form part of the first batch of donations and will help students in their technological online learning.

“At least seven secondary schools will also receive laptops by the first quarter (of) next year. This is part of our continuing advocacy to empower the youth, particularly those in the host communities of the geothermal plant in Albay and Sorsogon, for their educational achievement,” he said.

Together with LiteHaus International, Jimenez said they will continue to help digitalization programs in the country.

Aside from donating the laptops, EDC will also set up the schools’ computer laboratories, assist in software licensing, and grant access to applicable offline educational materials.

Before the turnover of the laptops, a memorandum of understanding was signed between EDC and LiteHaus International at the Rizal Integrated National School in Barangay Rizal, Sorsogon City, followed by the signing of a deed of donation with the Department of Education. (PNA)