Bohol Governor Aris Aumentado recently handed over a check worth P400,000 to Mr. Rene Balbin, the Training Director of the Loboc Youth Education Association, Inc. (LYEA).
The check will help fund the sustainability project of the Loboc Youth Ambassadors Band, a musical group composed of talented students from Loboc, Bohol.
The turnover ceremony took place at the Loboc School of Music, where the band members and their instructors welcomed the governor. Among the witnesses were Ex-Mayor Leon A Calipusan, the Vice-President of LYEA, and other members of the Board of Trustees.
Governor Aumentado also pledged to continue supporting the project by allocating funds annually for the construction of a covered court and the maintenance of the school building.
The Loboc Youth Ambassadors Band is a poverty reduction initiative that was conceived by the late Governor Erico Aumentado, Mayor Leon Calipusan, and Mr. Argeo J Melisimo in 2007.
The project aims to provide free musical education and instruments to children from grades 3 to senior high school who are interested in joining school bands and pursuing college degrees.
Led by LYEA, a non-profit organization, and supported by various partners, such as the LGU Loboc, the Province of Bohol, the Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program (PACAP), Mr. Carlos Chan, and the First Consolidated Bank, the project has trained 277 students in music theory and practice, and has provided them with musical instruments.
The project has also produced 70 college scholars who are enrolled in leading colleges and universities in Bohol, such as the BIT International College, the Bohol Island State University, the Cristal-E College, and the Holy Name University.
These institutions have generously accepted the band members as students and have supported their academic endeavors.
The project has also helped more than 350 students graduate from college and find employment in various sectors.
The Loboc Youth Ambassadors Band is not only a source of pride for Loboc, but also a cultural ambassador for Bohol and the Philippines.
The band has performed in various shows and concerts across the country and abroad, showcasing their musical skills and talents, inspiring many young people to pursue their dreams and aspirations through music and education.
LYEA is composed of the following officers and trustees: Argeo J Melisimo, President; Mr. Leon Calipusan, Vice President; Primitivo Sarigumba, Treasurer; Engr. Manuelito Varquez, Secretary; Atty. Eladio M. Jala, Antonio Acuna, Jr. and Rene Baquial, Trustees. The Executive and Training Director is Rene V. Balbin.