First run of Aboitiz Brigada Eskwela in Manila & Cebu to benefit over 15,000 students
This incoming school year, a total of 15,710 students in Manila and Cebu will be enjoying refurbished school facilities that are more learning-conducive, thanks to the efforts of Aboitiz team member volunteers at the first batch of Aboitiz Group’s annual Brigada Eskwela campaign this year.
Aside from Aboitiz’s corporate offices in Manila and Cebu, various Aboitiz business units are also set to conduct Brigada Eskwela initiatives in their respective host communities in different parts of the country.
Held in Manila last May 18, Saturday, a total of 427 Aboitiz team member volunteers trooped to Pateros Elementary School in Pateros, Metro Manila and Kapitan Eddie T. Reyes Integrated School (KERIS) in Taguig City to plant seedlings, cover books, and paint armchairs and murals in these schools. These activities will benefit 10,685 students from the two schools.
Department of Education Undersecretary for Legislative Liaison Office, External Partnerships Service, and School Sports Tonisito Umali, Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, and Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce III also joined the activities.
“We would like to thank our friends and partners from the Aboitiz Foundation for helping us implement Brigada Eskwela. Through this, we ensure quality schools for our students,” Umali said.
“When you have partners like the Aboitiz Foundation and the Aboitiz Group — when you help us build our classrooms and school buildings, when you donate and give scholarships to our children, when you do school feedings, when you equip us with your WeatherPhilippines (an Aboitiz-led private weather information provider) program–these are the reasons why Brigada Eskwela is really successful every year,” Umali added.
Similar Brigada Eskwela activities will be conducted on May 25 by 175 Aboitiz team member volunteers in Barangay Talamban in Cebu City, benefiting 5,025 students of Talamban Elementary School.
Pateros Elementary School and KERIS, located near the Aboitiz Corporate Center in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, have long benefited from the Aboitiz Group’s initiatives in education. Pateros Elementary School, for instance, was named 2nd Best Brigada Eskwela Implementer in DepEd Taguig-Pateros School Division in 2018.
“This is our 11th year to be part of ‘Brigada’ and we continuously thank DepEd for giving the A-People (Aboitiz team members) this opportunity to be part of meaningful initiatives for our young learners. Each year, our Brigada Eskwela volunteers continue to grow in number — a proof of our growing commitment to fulfilling our promise of advancing business and communities,” said Tristan R. Aboitiz, Chief Operating Officer of Aboitiz food business unit Pilmico.
Tristan, a fifth-generation Aboitiz family member, joined other “fifth-gen” members during this year’s Brigada Eskwela.
The Aboitiz Group, recognized by DepEd as the Philippines’ biggest contributor to public education, has long been an active supporter and participant of Brigada Eskwela. This is also part of the Group’s team member engagement programs since 2008.
For over a decade, the Aboitiz Group has helped improve 411 schools, making them more conducive to learning for over 200,000 students nationwide.
