Now on its third year, the Association of Young Boholanos in Metro Manila, Inc. (AYBM) conducted its Oplan Balik Eskwela: Para kang Ondoy and Inday Project last June 20 at the Municipality of Balilihan. The Oplan Balik Eskwela Project, spearheaded by AYBM's Outreach and Social Initiatives Committee headed by Engr. Marionne Jessa Mejares, is anchored on the thrust of encouraging Boholanos who are based in Metro Manila to share their blessings to young pupils in a selected municipality-beneficiary in Bohol, this year the Municipality of Balilihan. As planned, a team of AYBM members distributed school supplies to 367 pre-school pupils of the baranggays comprising the town. The distribution of the school supplies were held in three designated drop-off points: 1) Balilihan Gymnasium covering Bgys. Cabad, Magsija, Cantalid, Dorol, Boctol, San Isidro, Baucan and Datag; 2) Sagasa Elementary School covering Bgys. Sagasa, Haguilanan Grande, Cantomimbo, Sal-ing and San Roque; and 3) Hanopol Elementary School covering Bgys. Hanopol, Boyog and Cogon.

The AYBM Team composed of its chair Cathy Biliran, president Greg Delgado, vice president Teng Racho who is a native from Balilihan, Sports and Wellness Committee head Jodie Omaña, James Cleofe, Raymond Delgado and Marionne Jessa Mejares were welcomed at the Balilihan Gymnasium by Balilihan Mayor Dominisio Chatto, School's District Supervisor Gemma Ladroma, parish priest Fr. Felix Silagan and Councillors Jose Bernard Lansang and Elesio Pabe, Jr. Before the distribution of the school supplies, a short program was held. It was opened by an Invocation led by Fr. Silagan, followed by the National Anthem, Awit sa Bohol and Balilihan Hymn. Mayor Chatto welcomed the guests and expressed gratitude to AYBM in behalf of the people of Balilihan for the early Christmas gift. AYBM President, Atty. Greg Delgado, gave an inspirational speech to the pupils and encouraged them to pursue their dreams. Atty. Delgado said that members of AYBM who are now building their careers in the Big City were once in their shoes years before. The young lawyer ended his speech by telling the story of Dado Banatao, a young boy from the remote town of Iguig, Cagayan Province who used to walk kilometers of dirt roads barefoot in order to go to school. Dado Banatao managed to get a scholarship in Mapua and was given a chance to study at Stanford University in the United States. Dado Banatao would later invent the microchips used in modern computers and is now a successful wealthy icon of Silicon Valley and now flies his own jets. Atty. Delgado said that these pencils, notebooks and crayons will be the start of greater things for these little kids from Balilihan.

Balilihan might produce the country's next Dado Banatao, doctor, scientist, accountant, artist, lawyer, statesman. The AYBM Team was then entertained by a dance number by the pupils of Balilihan Elementary School before conducting fun games to the delight of the pupils who received candies and chocolates as prizes. After the distribution of the school supplies, Mr. Jundell A. Danilla, School Principal of Balilihan Elementary School delivered the closing remarks. The AYBM Team then proceeded to the next drop-off points and were welcomed by school officials and teachers, notably Mr. Antonio Dugoy, Principal of Hanopol Elementary School. A short program was held in the last drop-off point Hanopol before giving the school supplies to the pupils. The AYBM is now preparing for its next pair of activities in the province this coming July, namely: 1) Homecoming Art Exhibition of a Boholano World Class Artist, Sam Penaso; and 2) Dagan Para sa Pamilacan: A Trail Run for a Cause for the benefit of Pamilacan Elementary School.