Three new school buildings from Spain and PBSP

MANILA, Philippines - With the opening of classes for school year 2011-2012 nearing, students in a couple of public schools in Southeastern Luzon and another public school in Western Mindanao will have more inspiration to get better grades.

The Spanish government together with Fundacion Humanismo y Democracia (H+D), a Spanish non-government foundation, and the corporate-led Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) helped create a more conducive learning environment in three schools by erecting brand new three-classroom buildings.

The turnover ceremonies of the new school buildings were held from March 16 to 22 for Bayandong Elementary School, more than 30 kilometers from central Legaspi City in Albay; San Jose (Oras) Elementary School near the foot of dormant Mt. Isarog in Camarines Sur; and Tigpalay Elementary School in Zamboanga Sibugay.

The project was made possible through the Spanish government’s Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarollo (AECID), under its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, together with H+D and PBSP.

The project turnovers ushered in the third year of Support to Sustainable Human Development and Poverty Alleviation in Bicol and Mindanao, a four-year program of AECID, H+D, and PBSP.

PBSP, the pioneer in corporate citizenship and social responsibility practices in the Philippines, also turned over books and school laboratory equipment to Tictapul National High School, while in the pipeline will be schools in the other barangays of Tungawan and in neighboring Roseller T. Lim town in Zamboanga Sibugay.

Aside from Tungawan and RT Lim, other identified beneficiaries are two school districts in Zamboanga City, namely Vitali and Curuan, as well as schools in at least six towns in Agusan del Norte province in the Caraga region (Northeastern Mindanao), namely Las Nieves, Carmen, Nasipit, Buenavista, RT Romualdez, and Santiago municipalities.

Other slated beneficiaries in Bicol included the Albay towns of Guinobatan, Sto. Domingo, and Daraga, together with Bacacay; the Camarines Sur town of Pasacao, aside from Ocampo; and Sorsogon City and the town of Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon province.

For more information, visit www.pbsp.org.ph