Senator Franklin Drilon and Ayala Foundation turned over a P4 million package that will connect 40 public high schools in Negros Occidental to the rest of the world through the internet, at rites held in EB Magalona town yesterday.

The P4 million grant came from Drilon's Priority Development Assistance Fund that was channeled through the GILAS (Gearing up for Internet Literacy and Access for Students) program, Ayala Foundation president Victoria Garchitorena said.

GILAS was organized in 2005 by a group of businessmen led by Ayala Corp. chairman and chief executive officer Augusto Zobel de Ayala to provide students in public high schools around the country with access to the internet.

To date GILAS has connected 3,200 public high schools, or 40 percent of the total nationwide, to the internet, she said.

The GILAS package includes teachers' training on internet literacy, local area networking, PC maintenance and troubleshooting and one year technical support and monitoring.

The GILAS has connected 75 schools in Negros Occidental to the internet, including the EB Magalona National High School, where the turnover rites were held yesterday.

Principals and representatives of the 40 new recipient high schools located in Ilog, Cauayan, Candoni, Sipalay, Binalbagan, Himamaylan, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Pulupandan, Calatrava, Don Salvador Benedicto and Toboso were at the rites.

Drilon and Garchiterena were joined by Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., EB Magalona Mayor David Albert Lacson and schools officials led by Department of Education regional director Mildred Garay.

Drilon said the assistance he has been pouring into improving public schools is his way thanking the public school system of which he is a product.

Education is the greatest equalizer, which gives everyone the opportunity to succeed, he said.

Drilon said he came from a middle class family in Iloilo and the inheritance his parents gave to him was an education.

Education, unlike material things, is something nobody can take away from you, he told the students present at the turnover rites.

Marañon thanked Drilon and Ayala Foundation for their donations to the public high schools in the province.

He said their enabling students to have access to the internet prepares them to become globally competitive.

The internet has made the world smaller and more accessible, it is a powerful tool as long as you know how to use it and do not abuse it, he said.

Garay also thanked Drilon and Ayala Foundation for GILAS saying it has greatly enhanced learning for students.*CPG

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