Elder Kearon Visits Public Grade School Next to Davao Temple

Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited Maa Central Elementary School in Davao City on May 27, 2025, to lead the official handover of the newly installed water and electricity facilities provided by the Church as part of its humanitarian efforts.

Maa Central Elementary School, located in Barangay Maa, sits adjacent to the Davao Philippines Temple, which is currently under construction. The school serves over 4,000 students from nursery through Grade Six.

Although classes were on break, the school prepared a special program featuring a choir, traditional dance, and performances by the school’s lyre and drum band. Over 300 students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and staff gathered to welcome Elder Kearon and other Church guests.

Impressed by the students’ performances, Elder Kearon expressed gratitude and affection for the children and commended their efforts.

“This is clearly a very special school,” Elder Kearon said. “We are very happy to be your neighbors next door. We love you and love the spirit of your school.”

He also shared insights from scripture about the Savior Jesus Christ’s love for children. “Jesus wanted to be with children. He wants to help them and bless them,” he said.

Elder Kearon was accompanied by his wife, Jennifer; Elder Michael B. Strong, Second Counselor in the Philippines Area Presidency; and Elder Strong's wife, Christine.

Church Helps School Gain Access to Water and Electricity

Public schools in the Philippines often struggle with overcrowding, prompting local and national governments to continuously seek solutions for inadequate classrooms and resources. Last year, Church representatives visited Maa Central Elementary School and found that its newly constructed four-story building lacked basic plumbing and electrical infrastructure.

In response, the Church installed electrical and plumbing systems in the new building. It also donated a handwashing station, four computers, workstation tables with chairs, three industrial fans, and 1,000 monobloc chairs. During the donation turnover ceremony, Elder and Sister Kearon personally distributed school kits to the attendees.

“We can't believe that we were selected to be the recipients of your generous donations,” said School Principal Ami Lyn Rose Yurong, EdD. “On behalf of all our teachers, administrators, parents, and students, we thank you all for your love and kindness.”

“Because of your generosity, our teachers can now focus on fully educating our students without worry of the lack of basic facilities, such as water and electricity,” she added.

Student Council President Sharina Aiya Paye expressed her gratitude in an earlier interview with the local Newsroom team, emphasizing how the support has helped address the school’s most pressing needs.

“Our comfort rooms now have running water, so we no longer struggle to fetch water from the ground floor to the upper levels,” Sharina explained. Before, we had only one working faucet downstairs, and students had to race for their turn,” Sharina explained.

“Now we can properly flush and clean the comfort rooms. The new lights are also a big help, especially for afternoon students whose classes extend into the evening. The computers make it easier for us to do research and print materials needed for homework and other school requirements.”

Global Humanitarian Efforts

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members strive to care for those in need as Christ did during His mortal ministry. Through generous donations, the Church supports thousands of humanitarian projects worldwide that provide aid and services to all of God’s children, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or religious affiliation.

These humanitarian projects encompass a wide range of efforts, including food security, clean water, sanitation, emergency response, healthcare, and mobility assistance. These initiatives provide immediate relief while fostering self-reliance, which enables individuals to better support their families and contribute to their communities.

The Church also works to improve the health and well-being of women and children, cares for the elderly and people with disabilities, supports education, and provides resources to help individuals find employment. It partners with trusted organizations to help individuals transition to stable housing, teaches principles of self-reliance, supports environmental stewardship, and offers resources for emotional and mental health, among other initiatives.