The KCFI team led by president and executive director Rina Lopez-Bautista with Mary’s Way Foundation, Globe Telecom and ABS-CBN representatives during the launch of Big Blue HeartsOne hundred two Grade 1 public school children and five of their teachers from Santa Rosa, Laguna can now hold their classes online thanks to the Big Blue Hearts campaign of Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI), Mary’s Way Foundation, Globe Telecom and ABS-CBN. The group’s donation includes Globe at Home prepaid WiFi kits from Mary’s Way and internet load allowance good for six months from Globe.

The beneficiaries from Balibago Elementary School and Santa Rosa Central Elementary Schools 1 and 3 will be able to hold online classes and watch over 1,000 video lessons from Knowledge Channel uploaded online, including “Wikaharian,” an educational video series being piloted in their classes to help students read better in Filipino.

In the virtual event launch on Jan. 21, KCFI president and executive director Rina LopezBautista thanked the partners of Big Blue Hearts and emphasized the importance of partnerships in making distance learning more affordable and accessible to Filipino families.

“Sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, hindi natin hahayaang patuloy na mapag-iwanan ang mga batang Pilipino. Patuloy na nagsisikap ang Knowledge Channel Foundation kasama ang iba’t-iba pang partners tulad ng Globe Telecom, Mary’s Way Foundation at ABSCBN para tulungan kayo, ang mga guro at magulang, sa patuloy na pag-aaral at pagkatuto ng mga bata sa bahay. Hindi po kami titigil sa aming misyon na magbigay ng kalidad na edukasyon gamit ang media at technology.”

Mike Agustin, Globe director for enterprise group-sales; members of Mary’s Way Foundation represented by past president Maritess Pineda; Connie Nolasco-Lopez, chief of staff of the Office of the President at ABS-CBN; and Dr. Manuela Tolentino, schools division superintendent of DepEd Santa Rosa, expressed their solidarity for the cause by signing a commitment pledge.

“It’s an opportunity to transform the way we educate the next generation through technology. Globe is happy to be part of this transformation… We’ll ensure learning will be effective and fun for young students,” Agustin said.

For Mary’s Way, they saw Big Blue Hearts as a mission.

“…Due to this pandemic, education became a challenge, especially to the marginalized who had to resort to home schooling. With the help of KCFI, we were able to find a niche to support some students with all that it takes to do home schooling,” Pineda noted.

ABS-CBN, a long-time and steadfast partner of KCFI in making distance learning more accessible through TV, was not short in stating their support.

ABS-CBN’s commitment to helping uplift the lives of Filipinos is stronger than ever, especially now that providing education for children in need has become more challenging with this pandemic,” NolascoLopez emphasized. “But the task becomes easier when organizations help us achieve our goal.”

For the DepEd Santa Rosa schools division led by Tolentino, the united front of Big Blue Hearts was a timely blessing.

“The city division of Santa Rosa City is very lucky to have partners—since then KCFI and ABS-CBN, and now Mary’s Way Foundation and Globe Telecom,” she said.

KCFI and Mary’s Way Foundation continue to accept partners for Big Blue Hearts to help more learners all over the Philippines. To know more, visit: https://www.knowledgechannel.org/big-blue-hearts or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . (Story/Photos by: Mikko Ramos)

A young beneficiary and his mother show off their Globe at Home prepaid WiFi kit

Teachers receive the Globe WiFi kits that will enable them to conduct classes online