Jollibee starts construction of 40 public classrooms

MANILA, Philippines - Jollibee Foundation is now closely monitoring the construction of the first batch of 40 classrooms they have pledged to build for public schools of the Department of Education (DepEd).

Officials of the foundation and the Jollibee Franchisees Association (JFA), paid a visit last Tuesday to the Pulungbulu Elementary School in Angeles, Pampanga, where a one-classroom schoolbuilding is under construction under their P20 million Build-A-Classroom project.

Rey Laguda, DepEd Assistant Secretary, said that the rapid progress of the building of the classroom for the Pampanga public elementary school was welcomed by the DepEd, taking it as proof of the commitment of Jollibee in helping the public education system.

“Through this effort, Jollibee proved their commitment not just to the Filipino children, but to nation-building as well,” Laguda said.

Laguda, Angeles City Vice Mayor Vicenta Cabigting, Joan Aquino, Jollibee North Luzon regional business unit head; Dom Menguito, Jollibee Franchisees Association chairman and Gisela Tiongson, Jollibee Foundation executive director were present in the construction site visit.

Jollibee was able to raise a big part of the program’s P20 million funding through the sale of souvenir dolls in their wide network of branches all over the country.

“Through the sale of 400,000 Jollibee and friends dolls during the Maaga ang Pasko Campaign last year and additional support from the Jollibee Franchisees Association and Jollibee Foundation, we were able to raise enough funds for the construction of 40 public school classrooms,” Aquino said, noting that the Build-A-classroom is a component of the said campaign last year.

Aquino also said that this project is a complete way of supporting the department of education Bayanihang Pampaaralan Program. – Rainier Allan Ronda, Rica Roberto