First row, from left to right: Dr. Elizabeth Mira, Carmona Elementary School Principal; (3rd) Dr. Randy Punzalan, DepEd Cavite Province Assistant Schools Division Superintendent; Dr. Carmela Oracion, Ateneo Center for Educational Development Managing Director; Hon. Dahlia Loyola, Carmona Mayor; Melissa Aquino, Security Bank Foundation Trustee and Corporate Secretary; Louie Boy De Real, Security Bank Foundation Program Manager; Mary Stacy Rose Gallart, Security Bank Carmona Branch Business Manager. Second row, 6th: Hon. Roy Loyola, Cavite 5th District Congressman, 10th: Engr. Jamiel Galimba, Infrastructure Project Officer
Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Municipal Government of Carmona, the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Cavite Province, Ateneo de Manila University, and De La Salle Philippines on June 5, 2023, during the municipal government’s flag raising ceremony. The MOA seeks to bring SBFI’s “Build a School, Build a Nation Program” to Carmona, Cavite.
The “Build a School, Build a Nation Program” is a holistic and multisectoral initiative to address the shortage of classrooms nationwide. SBFI donates school buildings to public schools in areas where Security Bank operates, while Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle Philippines complement training programs for their teachers and school principals.
The chosen beneficiary school in Carmona, Cavite is Carmona Elementary School, which has 2,195 students in the current school year and reported a shortage of six classrooms. SBFI will construct a two-story, ten-classroom building in the school by 2024 to help them cope with their fast-growing student population. The Municipal Government of Carmona, Cavite will shoulder the demolition, tree cutting, other site-clearing activities, and permit fees, while DepEd Cavite Province will provide the chairs and tables inside the classrooms.
“Ako po ay nagpapasalamat na mayroong mga kagaya ng Security Bank Foundation na sumusuporta sa ating adhikain na iangat pa ang antas ng edukasyon dito sa ating bayan at sa ating bansa. With this partnership, we will ensure that our students receive the quality education that they deserve,” said Hon. Dahlia Loyola, Carmona Mayor.
In celebration of Security Bank’s 72nd anniversary and SBFI’s 30th anniversary, SBFI aims to donate more than 700 classrooms by the end of 2023. Currently, there are 691 classrooms turned over to 122 schools in 69 cities and municipalities nationwide, while additional 80 classrooms are still in various stages of construction. Next year, there will be 70 classrooms—including 10 classrooms for Carmona—scheduled for construction; this will equal 841 classrooms in total by the end of 2024.
“We recognized that the needs of our public schools were more severe than we imagined. Thus, we decided to accelerate our donation of classrooms,” said Rafael Simpao, Jr., SBFI Chairman.
To know more about the Security Bank Foundation, visit www.securitybank.com/foundation.