Sharing the Gift of EDUCATION.

Tulong Aral ng Petron. Petron’s biggest social investment is Tulong Aral ng Petron, a long-term program undertaken by Petron Foundation that hopes to secure a better future for our country’s less privileged children by giving children the chance to get into school, keeping them there, keeping them well, and making sure that they learn. It quite literally fuels H.O.P.E.: Helping Filipino children and youth Overcome Poverty through Education.

With this program, Petron is able to address the problem of poverty at its roots: by giving children the chance to get into school, keeping them there, and making sure that they learn.

Every year, Petron Foundation is sending 1,000 six-year olds from Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan or Kalahi areas in 12 cities and municipalities of Metro Manila to attend primary schooling, beginning from Grade One. Petron’s commitment is to see that these 1,000 children complete their studies all the way to Grade Six. By adding 1,000 new children every year, there will be 6,000 Tulong Aral ng Petron scholars, or 1,000 scholars in every grade levels by school year 2009-2010.

Beyond giving its scholars an educational assistance of school uniforms, supplies and a daily meal allowance, Tulong Aral is providing reading programs in partnership with Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation and Ronald McDonalds House Charities through their Bright Minds Read program. Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd), through the schools taking part in Tulong Aral, provides tutorials, remediation classes and other academic support programs for all scholars, especially for children at risk of dropping.

Likewise, Tulong Aral ng Petron addresses the needs of the scholars’ parents.Together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the participating local government units and Gasul Trade, Tulong Aral provides Parent Effectiveness Seminars, literacy programs, self-employment assistance and livelihood programs to help parents help themselves.

There is also a health and nutrition component. Believing that nurturing the mind begins with nourishing the body, Petron is looking to scale up its health component through health screening, delivery of health care systems, feeding and other health and nutrition programs to keep the children well.

Completing the picture is the integration of a research and evaluation component. Undertaken by the Philippine Psychology Research and Training House (PPRTH) with the help of local social workers, teachers, student volunteers and Petron employees, this aspect of the program underscores, tracks and evaluates the scholars’ performance and determines appropriate measures for remediation.

The Tulong Aral scholars have responded to this act of kindness by showing what they can do when given the chance to study, as shown from the following achievements:

     Outstanding students:
       - 123 in 2003
       - 111 in 2004
       - 331 in 2005
    
     First Honors:
       - 20 in 2003
       - 11 in 2004
       - 42 in 2005


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