Jollibee Foundation raises P20 M to construct public school classrooms

MANILA, Philippines - The Jollibee Foundation was able to raise some P20 million to fund the construction of classrooms for the Department of Education (DepEd) this year.

Jollibee Foods Corp. and the Jollibee Franchisees Association had spearheaded a donation drive as well as a fund raising drive with the help of private schools all over the country in 2010, where students of participating schools were encouraged to sell Jollibee stuffed toys where sales of the toys will go to the Build-A-Classroom fund.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro hailed the donation, saying the DepEd welcomed all the assistance it can get from the private sector, facing a grim classroom shortage of 152,000 classrooms.

“We need all the help that we can get because we are facing a really daunting challenge of finding funds to build 152,000 classrooms to assure our public school children of a conducive learning environment when in school,” Luistro said in formal donation turnover ceremonies at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel the other day.