07 November 2016 — An exhibition of chairs donated by students of Coreen School in Blacktown City, New South Wales, Australia, to the Angel House Orphanage in Davao Oriental, Philippines, was launched at the Max Webber Library in Blacktown City, New South Wales, Australia on October 28 and will last for two weeks.
In his remarks during the launching ceremony, Mr. John Williamson, a teacher at Coreen School, said that in line with teaching empathy to his students, his class decided to take part in the Sustainability, Education, Art and Teamwork (S.E.A.T.) Project. The project entails assembly of a small bamboo stool, which encourages teamwork, problem solving and literacy among children. Mr. Williamson’s students assembled, decorated and painted the stools and will donate the said stools, along with learning materials inside the stools’ compartment, to the Angel House Orphanage in Davao Oriental, Philippines. According to Mr. Williamson, he suggested the orphanage as the recipient institution, as he himself has been supporting the education of a child in the Philippines for the past nine years. Two of Mr. Williamson’s students, Brianna Ferguson and Jarryn Douglas, spoke at the launch about their experience in working on the stools.
Representing the Philippine Embassy in Canberra and the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney, Consul Marford Angeles thanked the Coreen School for their donation to the orphanage, saying that such a beautiful gift highlights the friendship between Filipinos and Australians and is a fitting gesture in this year when we mark the 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Australia. He also thanked S.E.A.T. National Project Manager Christa Silvia for coordinating with the Embassy and the Consulate on this project. Consul Angeles also thanked freight forwarder LBC for sponsoring the shipment of the stools to the Philippines, and the Blacktown City Council, represented by Blacktown City Councillor Kathie Collins, for the use of the Max Webber Library as venue for the exhibit. END