A joint school bus initiative in South Cotabato provides free transport to students, easing financial burdens for Indigenous Blaan families. (Contributed Photo)
TAMPAKAN, South Cotabato โ Students in Barangay Pulabato said the daily journey to school is no longer a financial burden on their families, thanks to a joint public-private initiative providing a free school bus to and from class.
The daily shuttle program, operated in partnership between the Pulabato local government unit and Sagittarius Mines Incorporated (SMI), serves public school students throughout the academic year. Under the arrangement, SMI covers the operational costs, including diesel fuel, vehicle maintenance, and the salary of driver Arjay Leop, who has helmed the service for the past four years.
Many of the beneficiaries belong to the Indigenous Blaan community, whose families rely on small-scale farming and informal labor to meet daily needs. On Monday, Aug. 3, parents of elementary and high school students expressed their gratitude for the program, citing the substantial relief it brings to household budgets.
“Without this service, each student would need at least 60 pesos daily just for round-trip transportation,” said Leop, himself a father of three school-aged children. “For a family with three children in school, that translates to 180 pesos a dayโan expense many parents simply cannot sustain alongside basic living costs.”
Local indigenous leaders across Tampakan, neighboring municipalities, and the provincial capital of Koronadal City praised the initiative, highlighting its role in keeping children in school by eliminating transportation barriers.
The shuttle service is part of a broader corporate social responsibility and humanitarian program sustained by SMI over the past two decades across South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and Davao del Sur.
South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Rolly Aquino noted that the mining firm’s community support also extends to emergency response operations, disaster relief efforts, and providing essential equipment to village first responders throughout the province.
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