MANILA, Philippines — Security Bank Foundation Inc. (SBFI) continues to make progress last year in its programs advocating for education.
In a statement, the corporate social responsibility arm of Security Bank Corp., said it champions education through investments in public school classrooms, comprehensive training for teachers and school principals, as well as scholarships and other support interventions for students.
“Some of us may feel that the task of addressing the problems of education in our country is so overwhelming, that the efforts we are exerting would hardly make a difference. But I do not agree because I believe in the power of persistent cumulative influence,” SBFI chairman Rafael Simpao Jr. said.
“We also believe that it takes a community to properly raise a child. Together, let us be resolved that no matter what challenges we face, we shall not waver in our purpose and be victorious in elevating the learning of our youth,” Simpao added.
Under its Build a School, Build a Nation program, SBFI closed 2024 with 845 classrooms donated to 145 schools across 86 cities and municipalities.
The foundation also constructed 62 classrooms with the help of the Department of Education and the local government units in Carmona, Cavite; Rosario, Cavite; Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur; Pangantucan, Bukidnon; Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija; Mabalacat, Pampanga; Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte as well as Cotabato, Maguindanao del Norte.
SBFI repaired 70 classrooms that were previously donated, making a total of 449 classrooms since 2019. Donated classrooms have benefited over 266,000 students thanks to the stewardship of beneficiary schools.
SBFI also made progress in its three-year Mentoring Future Leaders for Nation-Building program as it trained 53 principals and 90 teachers last year in transformational leadership and innovative teaching methods.
“This was done in partnership with Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle Philippines, The HEAD Foundation of Singapore and the University of Bristol in the UK,” SBFI said.
Since 2014, the foundation’s training programs have supported 148 principals and over 36,000 teachers, enhancing educational quality nationwide.
Meanwhile, SBFI shared that Security Bank employees helped in transforming its beneficiary schools by volunteering to paint 29 classrooms in Cavite, Zamboanga del Sur and Pampanga, creating brighter learning spaces for students.
In 2024, SBFI also secured a partnership with Ideal Vision Center to provide free vision screening to students in six schools, acknowledging that poor eyesight has become a barrier for students to learn better.
The foundation said eyeglasses are set to be distributed for free for 1,050 students by the first quarter this year.
Moreover, the Scholars for Better Communities program provided scholarships to 359 students in 2024, with some scholarships were managed in partnership with eight universities in Metro Manila, and some were funded through donations from Security Bank employees.
SBFI said more than 2,000 scholars have been supported, with 225 college graduates. Of these graduates, 55 received Latin honors.
Since its inception in 1993, SBFI has advocated for education as a long-term solution to poverty alleviation through its various programs such as building classrooms, continuous training and development of teachers, and providing scholarships to deserving students.