THE UNITED States Agency for International Development has given the Bicol Region P27-million worth of school supplies for elementary students.

The donation consists of 540,000 early grade reading materials. It is also part of the agency’s Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines project.

USAID turned over the reading materials to the officials of the Department of Education in Bicol region in a ceremony on August 22, 2022.

Representatives of the Salvacion Elementary School and Sto. Domingo Central School were present during the event.

Dr. Thomas LeBlanc, USAID Philippines Education director, said that they continue to work with DepEd to ensure that Filipino children have access to learning materials.

“We are working with DepEd so that children who are returning to school have access to age and context-appropriate learning resources,” LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc also said that the agency will provide early education reading materials to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Western Visayas through its USAID’s ABC+ project.