Filipino students get 5,000 pianos from Korean firm

THE DEPARTMENT of Education has received a donation of 5,000 digital pianos and 50,000 metallic blackboards from a Korean construction firm.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro and Booyoung Co. Ltd. chair Lee Joong-keun led the ceremonial turnover on Friday at Camp Aguinaldo of the pianos and blackboards, which will be distributed to thousands of public elementary schools nationwide.

A digital piano is an alternative to the traditional acoustic piano which provides an accurate simulation of an acoustic piano, both on how it is played and the sound it produces.

Luistro said it was his hope that Lee’s donation would serve as an “inspiration to Filipino learners to pursue their dreams” so they could be like the Korean businessman in the future, who helps students not only in the Philippines but all over the world.

In his speech, Lee recalled that despite the Korean War in the 1950s, South Korea managed to spring back and achieve “rapid economic development.”

“I strongly believe that a high passion for education has been the driving force behind this economic development,” Lee said.

Hence, he said, it was his hope that the donation would “contribute to the development of the educational infrastructure of the Philippines,” and help the students become “leaders of national economic development.”

Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Kim Jae-shin lauded Booyoung’s donation, saying it was a “good example of how the private sector could help improve young people’s lives.”

He noted that Booyoung’s “unconditional” donation came despite the company not having any business in the Philippines.

He hoped Booyoung’s donation would help cultivate the Filipino students’ creativity.

Edgardo Balais, a Grade 6 student at Gregorio de Jesus Elementary School in Caloocan City, told the Inquirer the digital pianos would “greatly help” not only him but also his peers who want to be good at playing the instrument.

Balais, who is torn between becoming an architect and a pianist in the future, said he was determined to be good at playing the piano because “people are amazed, and become proud of you when you are talented.”