A sure tour for Talaga

Sun. Sea. Sky. These are the things that come into mind when one hears the word Argao. This place boasts of white sand beaches teeming with tourists, rough and exciting water sports, as well as of romantic afternoon walks as the sun slowly dips into the darkened horizon.

When the iSchools project team came to Argao on August 8, 2007, it was not for a holiday to enjoy the sites. The team from Antique came to meet the students and teachers of Talaga National High School, an iSchools recipient.Talaga National High School in Talaga, Argao, is 80 kilometers south of the capital city of Cebu. It is home to 288 students and 14 faculty members headed by Mrs. Edna Larumbe, the principal.

In 2006, school and PTA officials raised funds to equip a schoolroom with tables and electrical connections. This would be the computer laboratory for equipment to be donated by Cong. Simeon Kintanar. “It has been over a year that we have prepared this room, yet no computer has been delivered yet,” says Larumbe.

Excitement greeted the project team from Polytechnic State College of Antique (PSCA), a partner state college of Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) on the iSchools project. Classes of the juniors and seniors were suspended for them to attend the project briefing while many teachers busied themselves with the preparation of snacks for their guests. The laboratory room was abuzz with waiting PTA officials, parents, students, and teachers. During a short wait for the mayor, students laughed and shrieked as they watch the video clips projected on the wide screen.

Applause issued forth when Dean Mistio, announced that through the recommendation of Cong. Kintanar, CICT would give the school 21 computers, a printer, an air-conditioning unit, projector, one-year free internet connection, and trainings for students, teachers, librarian. Even the idea of added expenses to for changes based on laboratory requirement did not dampen their excitement.

Students and teachers alike cheered when the PTCA president, Engr. Florentino Ortega volunteered to replace the tables. Mayor Edsel Galeos of Argao also committed to work for the telephone connection for internet.

As part of the warm welcome for the project team, they were treated to a lunch at Alex Café, another tourist destination. This restaurant is owned by Alex K. Gonzales, Argao’s tourism officer.

Six months after the first visit of the team, the school received the equipment. With the computers now operational, students are fast tapping the keyboard and clicking the mouse while the monitor screen opens up a vista of new horizons.

The young of Talaga can now surely bask in the bright glow of knowledge as sun rises over Argao.