KABRIGADA’T KABARKADA: Security Bank Foundation donates 11 Portable Media Libraries and 306 Makeroscope sets to public schools in the Davao Region. Present during the turnover were (from left to right): Security Bank Foundation Infrastructure Project Officer Engr. Jamiel Galimba, Department of Education Region XI Director, Dr. Allan Farnazo, Security Bank Branch Banking Group Area 26 Head, Decy Narne Sarmiento and Makeroscope Inventor, Jeremy De Leon.
DAVAO CITY, PHILIPPINES – Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI), the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Security Bank Corporation, responded to the call of the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide multi-sectoral support for the opening of classes through the agency’s Brigada Eskwela initiative.
SBFI supported the DepEd Brigada Eskwela regional kick-off week by turning over Knowledge Channel Portable Media Libraries (PMLs) and 306 Makeroscopes (keychain microscope sets) to 11 SBFI Classrooms Project beneficiary schools in the Davao Region.
“True partners are those who come and immediately heed the call. We thank Security Bank Foundation for being a true partner of the region as it provided innovative and digital learning resources for our students,” says DepEd Region XI Director Dr. Allan G. Farnazo.
SBFI’s initiative to donate learning resources in Davao Region complements its flagship program, Build A School, Build the Nation: The Classrooms Project. The 11 beneficiary schools were recipients of SBFI’s classroom donation since program inception in 2011. Aside from new classrooms, SBFI provides major repair support, regular training for teachers and principals, and other learner support interventions.
“We focused our advocacy on education because we believe that education is the greatest equalizer in life. It will give every person the opportunity to succeed, no matter what his or her social and economic background may be,” says Rafael F. Simpao, Jr., SBFI Chairman.
The Knowledge Channel PMLs are external hard drives containing over 1,500 Knowledge Channel developed video lessons, e-games, and e-session guides aligned with the Department of Education K-12 curriculum.
The schools that received portable media libraries were: Catalunan Pequeño Elementary School (Davao City), Crossing Bayabas National High School (Davao City), Davao City National High School (Davao City), Digos City National High School (Digos City, Davao Del Sur), JV Ferriols Elementary School (Davao City), Matina Central Elementary School (Davao City), Panabo Central Elementary School-SPED Center (Panabo City, Davao Del Norte), Panabo National High School (Panabo City, Davao Del Norte), Ramon Magsaysay Central Elementary School (Digos City, Davao Del Sur), Tagum National Trade School (Tagum City, Davao Del Norte), and Visayan Village Central Elementary School (Tagum City, Davao Del Norte).
The Makeroscopes, invented by Filipino engineer Jeremy De Leon, are keychain microscopes attached to front cameras of mobile phones to enable the viewing of microscopic samples up to x265 zoom. Each Makeroscope set comes with sample slides of animal and plant cells. The schools that received the keychain microscopes were Davao City National High School, Digos City National High School, and Panabo National High School.
To learn more about SBFI’s initiatives and how you can help a scholar, visit www.securitybank.com/sustainability or Security Bank’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SecurityBank.