Pagadian City, Zamboanga Del Sur – Fifty-five (55) Security Bank employees from three Mindanao branches namely, Dipolog, Zamboanga Del Norte; Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental; and Pagadian, Zamboanga Del Sur, volunteered for the school painting activity organized by Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI) on August 31, 2024. With some employees travelling 2 to 3 hours, volunteers painted the first coat of the five classrooms of the 2-storey, 10-classroom school building to be turned over by SBFI to Zamboanga Del Sur National High School in the latter part of this year.

The event, conducted on a Saturday, inspired Security Bank employees to support the Foundation’s education advocacy. “We are glad to be part of the Foundation’s program of giving comfortable and conducive learning spaces for our public school learners. We hope that a lot more employees will see the value of volunteering work”, said Mary Grace Naonao, a volunteer from Security Bank Dipolog Branch.

In his speech, SBFI Chairman Rafael Simpao, Jr. highlighted the need for various stakeholders, including Security Bank employees, to work together in improving the quality of education in our country. “We pray that your commitment to volunteer will serve as an inspiration for other Security Bankers to follow”, Simpao said. “We also pray that the experience of being involved in shaping the future of our Filipino youth, will continue to inspire and motivate you to help our public school students,” he added.

Coming straight from their painting task, volunteers cheerfully engaged in group games including, arranging jumbled words to process their key takeaways from the painting activity. The groups who gave the best answers were recognized including, the winners of the best painted classroom, and most passionate painters. “The activity is so much fun – from the pre-painting gimmicks, to the painting task, and to the post-painting group activities. Aside from winning awards, meeting fellow Security Bankers at the event is memorable.”, said Charisse Jade Arbas, one of the activity winners from Security Bank Pagadian Branch.

To date, SBFI has already conducted 3 school painting activities for the year and is targeting to complete its fourth and last painting activity for 2024 at Mabalacat City, Pampanga by September.