Sisters of Mary Workshop and Auditorium Inaugurated

The Newly Inaugurated Workshop & Auditorium

The Sisters of Mary, whose charism is to the serve the poorest of the poor by giving them quality secondary education intensive of technical-vocational training, try to respond to this dire need of the youth. The Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz, our founder and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for International Understanding in 1983, had envisioned that if the youth would be equipped with skills fit to the job market demand coupled with moral and spiritual values, then they will be productive. This would redound to progress not only to their families but to the country as a whole.

Left to right (Front row): Shirley T. Chua, Trustee, Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. (TYKFI); Washington Z. SyCip, Trustee, TYKFI; Sis. Elena G. Belarmino, SM, President, Fr. Al’s Children Foundation, Inc.; Carmen K. Tan, Trustee, TYKFI; Dr. Lucio C. Tan, Chairman and President, TYKFI; Sis. Maria Cho, SM, Superior General, Sisters of Mary Banneux, Inc.; Gabriel C. Singson, Trustee, TYKFI; Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas, SJ, Trustee, TYKFI; (back row): Marixi R. Prieto, TYKFI; Sis. Cecile Pabalan, SM, Sisters of Mary Banneux, Inc.; Tan Hui Bin, Trustee, TYKFI; Christopher J. Nelson, Trustee, TYKFI; Sis. Amelia Luces, SM, Sisters of Mary Banneux, Inc.

The Sisters of Mary Boystowns and Girlstowns were established in 1985. Since then, almost 50,000 youngsters have graduated, of whom, mostly are gainfully-employed and are considered models in the area where they are working. At present, we, the Sisters, take care and educate more than 11,000 boys and girls in our campuses in secondary and post-secondary levels.

The post-secondary is tied up with the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) by having all trade areas offered accredited, assessed and issued a Certificate of TVET Program Registration. This allows our students to receive TESDA National Certificate giving them better opportunities for job placement.

The implementation of the K-12 program of the Department of Education, we urgently need a post-secondary building at our Sisters of Mary Girlstown in Talisay City, Cebu, for the following workshops:

• Technical Drafting NC II
  
• 3 Computer Laboratories for Basic Computer Operations and Auto-Cad
  
•  Finishing Course for Call Center Training and Speech Laboratory
  
• Consumers electronics
  
• Pattern-Drafting
  
• Computer Hardware Servicing NC II
  
• Mechatronics
  
• Bookkeeping
  

The above trade areas are already offered to the students; however, these workshops are all installed in the Buildings which are for dormitories and academic classrooms.

With this new education program, the school will be needing more dormitories and classrooms or have to lessen the number of students and turn-down almost a 1,000 poorest of the poor students. It would be heart-breaking to let 1,000 girls stay in their shanties without giving them the necessary education, safety and care.

The Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc. helped in the construction of a 3-storey post-secondary building to set up the workshops and an auditorium at the upper floor with their kind donation.