Meridian Power Inc. (MPI), a subsidiary of Vivant Energy, and Vivant Foundation Inc. (VFI) recently turned over Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) and solar equipment to Cebu City Don Carlos A. Gothong Memorial National High School, opening new pathways into skilled trades and engineering for the school’s over 4,000 students.
The donation also included the retrofitting of the school’s EIM laboratory and training for its teachers in Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems. With the upgrade, the school can now offer students a dual pathway toward two Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) National Certifications — EIM and Solar PV Systems Installation — an opportunity rarely available in public schools.
The turnover contributes to the Technical Vocation component of Project Liadlaw, a VFI initiative that has now reached 15 schools since it launched in 2017. The project follows a special curriculum jointly developed by Vivant engineers, the TESDA, and the Department of Education to keep students abreast with how the world now generates and uses energy.
“We’re in the business of power, so it matters to us how the next generation learns about it. The curriculum guides teachers in the updated standards of what needs to be taught. This is how we give the students a good head start – with the skills that are relevant to the profession,” said Shem Jose W. Garcia, VFI Executive Director.
Meanwhile, Bienvenido C. Saniel III, Vice President of MPI, said the donation gives students something they can use immediately, with benefits that will only grow over time. “They’re graduating with hands-on, marketable skills in electrical and solar work,” he said. “Looking ahead, vocational education like this is only going to become more valuable as the country’s energy needs grow. And even for students who don’t end up working as electricians, they leave with practical skills they can carry into whatever they choose to pursue.”
The turnover ceremony was led by Garcia and Saniel, together with Dr. Nimfa D. Bongo, Schools Division Superintendent of the DepEd Cebu City Division, and Hon. Clifford Jude Niñal, Barangay Chairperson of San Nicolas Proper.
Cebu City Don Carlos A. Gothong Memorial National High School Principal Charlie L. Salve described the turnover as a milestone for the school, expressing gratitude for the organizations’ “support, generosity, trust, and commitment to quality basic education.”
As solar power becomes an increasingly vital part of the country’s energy mix, MPI and VFI are committed to expanding Project Liadlaw to more schools nationwide — equipping a new generation of technicians and engineers with dual expertise in conventional and renewable systems to meet the evolving demands of the industry. “This is what it means to live up to our value of honor — nurturing our relationships and sharing our excellence with the communities we serve,” Garcia said.
