By Leilanie Adriano/PNA
LAOAG CITY — A Hawaii-based school is set to visit Ilocos Norte province next month for a possible education exchange program.
“Representatives of the Farrington High School in Hawaii, United States will be flying to Manila and Ilocos Norte for the proposed Hawaii Philippines Education Exchange Program,” Matilde Neri, head of the Ilocos Norte Provincial Education Office, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Friday.
Neri said Manila and Ilocos Norte maintain sisterhood ties in view of the presence of many Filipinos, mostly Ilocanos, based in Hawaii.
She said the Philippine Consulate in Hawaii, through Protocol Officer Jeffrey de Mesa, has sent a letter to Governor Imee Marcos for proper coordination.
In view of this, the Schools Division of Ilocos Norte has recommended at least four schools to be initially visited by two administrators and two teachers of Farrington High School, as well as two community representatives.
These schools are the San Nicolas National High School, Solsona National High School and Bacarra National Comprehensive High School, which specialize in arts, and the Nueva Era National High School in culture.
As soon as the group arrives in the province, Neri said they will discuss the possible implementation of a student exchange program that would benefit both foreign and local students.
Meanwhile, Roselyn Almazan, a member of an Ilocano-American family in the US state, said she prefers her younger children to study in the Philippines so they would be able to appreciate the culture of her native land.
“Life in the United States is quite different from the Philippines. At a young age, I want my children to experience the values and culture of Filipinos. It’s something I am most proud of,” Almasan said in a chat message.
