TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, July 8 (PIA) – As an expression of gratitude to the overwhelming support of the donors to the Department of Education (Deped) in Eastern Visayas, an awarding ceremony was held Monday at Deped Regional Office 8 in time of the celebration of the 39th Founding Anniversary of the agency which was anchored on the theme, “Pasasalamat”.

Deped Region 8 Director Luisa Bautista-Yu said the awarding ceremony was the highlight of the celebration as these benefactors became our partners in the recovery process.

“Words of gratitude are not enough to repay the goodness and compassion of our benefactors. But in our sincere way of pagpasalamat, we want them to feel the still soft voice of gratitude from our hearts,” Yu said.

Local, national and foreign donors including private individuals and anonymous ones were among those who extended help to Deped Region 8.

The assistance poured in were psychosocial interventions, water sanitation, food, shelter, clothing, temporary learning spaces, construction materials, school supplies, learning kits for school children, teaching kits, instructional materials, classrooms, comfort rooms, cash donations, equipment and other facilities.

Some local and foreign donors also did the repair of classrooms and offices, conducted medical and dental missions, feeding programs and other services on rebuilding and reconstruction process of the department.

With the help of the aforementioned donors, Deped quickly recovered from the devastation of typhoon Yolanda even if majority of the school buildings were destroyed in five hardly hit schools divisions to include the regional office.(GTT/CBA/PIA-8)