Security Bank Foundation prepares public schools for return of face-to-face classes

As the Department of Education (DepEd) gradually resumes face-to-face classes with the target full return by November 2022, Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI), the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Security Bank Corporation is honored to see its donated classrooms put to good use.

“DepEd chose the donated school building of Security Bank Foundation for the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes in our area because of its spacious and well-ventilated classrooms, allowing students to safely return to school while following safety protocols,” says Samson Tallodar, Tacurong Pilot Elementary School principal.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, SBFI sustained its Build a School, Build a Nation: The Classrooms Project in various parts of the country while also providing continued training to teachers and parents.

During the pandemic alone, Security Bank Foundation funded the construction of 178 classrooms, with 84 of those already turned over in 2021 and 94 in various stages of construction and expected to be completed in 2022. This brought the total classrooms count funded by SBFI to 715 since the program’s inception in 2011.

SBFI also repaired 206 previously donated classrooms during the pandemic to ensure the integrity and continuous usability of classrooms. Repairs done were mostly to address damages incurred by classrooms from typhoons, earthquakes, and Taal volcanic activity. This brought the total previously donated classrooms repaired by SBFI to 279.

Major repair support covered replacement of damaged roofing sheets, ceilings and gutters, patching of cracks, replacement of doors and window jambs infested by termites, de-rusting of railings, full repainting, and check-up of wiring and plumbing systems.

The Foundation, in partnership with Security Bank, also extended post-disaster rehabilitation support to public schools damaged by Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses in 2020 and Typhoon Odette in 2021 with the donation of 2,754 galvanized iron (GI) roofing sheets which rehabilitated a total of 105 classrooms in 55 public schools.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa mabilis na pagtugon ng SBFI na matulungan kami sa pagsasaayos ng mga nasirang classrooms dulot ng bagyong Odette. Ang lahat ng mga silid-aralan ng aming paaralan mula sa luma hanggang sa mga bagong ibinigay na classrooms ng SBFI ay naayos, at ginamit na sa pagsisimula sa pinalawak na face-to-face classes,” says Dr. Ma. Antonette Dugang, Principal of Tagbilaran City East Elementary School. 

Security Bank Foundation advocates for education as a concrete solution to poverty alleviation and strives to donate more classrooms to help public schools accommodate the learning needs of students. To co-sponsor the cost of school buildings, visit bit.ly/SupportSBFIClassrooms.

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