Breaking barriers in education: Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation launches first dedicated ALS Center in Tawi-Tawi

Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation, Inc. (CLFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of Cebuana Lhuillier, has reached a powerful milestone in its mission to bridge the education gap—establishing 185 Alternative Learning System (ALS) Centers and transforming the lives of over 61,000 out-of-school youth and adult learners nationwide. From urban communities to remote provinces like Tawi-Tawi, CLFI’s growing ALS network continues to break barriers and bring inclusive, future-ready education to underserved Filipinos across the country.

Key officials from the Schools Division of Tawi-Tawi, including Dr. Lermalyn A. Jalas-Tidal, OIC Schools Division Superintendent, and Ms. Surayni A. Tandi, Education Program Supervisor for ALS, joined Mr. Roy C. Saladaga, General Services Officer, on behalf of Bongao Mayor Jimuel Que, along with Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation and PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies leaders, for the inauguration of the ALS Center in Bongao. Attendees included Jo-Ann Tacorda, First Vice President and Group Head for Corporate Services and Chief Administrative Officer; Jose Miguel Jimenez, Head of Branch Operations; Jonathan Batangan, Executive Director of Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation, Inc.; and Michael Joseph Torne, OIC Institutional Programs Department Head.

The latest addition to this nationwide initiative is a newly launched ALS Center in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, a first in the municipality, designed to serve nearly 2,000 local learners who previously had limited access to safe and functional learning spaces. This development marks another critical step forward in the Foundation’s commitment to leave no learner behind.

“What we witnessed in Bongao was a clear call to action. No learner should have to study in cramped, unsafe, or powerless spaces,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier. “Education should be dignified and empowering. This ALS Center reflects our dedication to ensuring that underserved communities are never left behind.”

Before the center’s establishment, many Bongao-based learners had been studying in makeshift facilities without basic utilities like electricity or running water. Responding to this need, CLFI, in partnership with the local government of Bongao, took swift action to construct a modern, fully equipped learning hub, bringing not just infrastructure but hope to the community.

Cebuana Lhuillier Foundation’s first ALS Center in Tawi-Tawi offers a safe, modern space for local learners, supporting the community’s push for accessible, inclusive education.

The center boasts laptops, printers, solar lamps, a smart TV, sound systems and other tools that enable a tech-enhanced, future-ready learning experience. Five ALS teachers rotate in shifts to ensure every learner receives focused and consistent support.

CLFI also introduced AI 101—an innovative, first-of-its-kind module that offers ALS learners an introduction to artificial intelligence, equipping them with relevant digital skills and preparing them for the evolving job market. This is complemented by CLFI’s signature #LahatKasama Financial Literacy Program, which teaches essential financial concepts such as budgeting, saving, and responsible money management.

“Access to quality education shouldn’t be limited by geography or circumstance,” said Jonathan Batangan, Executive Director of CLFI. “Our journey in Bongao is part of a larger vision, and that is to equip every Filipino learner with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to build a better future.”

With 185 ALS Centers across the Philippines and more being developed, CLFI’s movement is creating ripples of change—one learner, one community, one future at a time.

ADVT.

This article is brought to you by Cebuana Lhuillier.

Read more stories here:

Aboitiz Land and Aboitiz Foundation partner with TESDA and LGU San Juan, Batangas

Beyond phones: vivo’s bold leap into robotics and mixed reality

Robinsons Malls: The preferred partner of schools nationwide for key events and milestones