Students of Ibajay, Aklan celebrate Christmas with new classrooms

Thanks to the joint effort of BDO Foundation, SM Prime Holdings and SM Foundation, the students of Ibajay National High School in Kalibo, Aklan welcomed Christmas with a newly rebuilt 2-storey, 4-classroom school building.

In 2013, Aklan was one of the worst hit areas in the Visayas area during Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) with an estimated Php 2.035 billion worth of damages in infrastructure and agriculture.

Three out of the school’s 11 classrooms were destroyed during the onslaught of Yolanda. In the aftermath, the school continued to serve the community, accommodating almost 640 students for school year 2013-2014.

The new school building was formally turned over on December 16, 2014 and comes with four toilets, 200 student armchairs, 16 wall fans, eight blackboards and four teachers’ desk sets. In addition to these, SM Foundation will also be handling the building’s maintenance and upkeep.

Each of the 4 classrooms are equipped with 50 student armchairs, four electric fans, a blackboard, a teacher’s table and a toilet. In addition to these, SM Foundation will also handle the regular maintenance and upkeep of the building.

“We are very lucky to be gifted by the SM Group including BDO Foundation, SM Prime Holdings and SM Foundation with this new 2-storey, 4-classroom school building. This is the first 2-storey building in the district of Ibajay, Aklan,” said Ibajay National High School Principal Melvin Serrano.

Linda Atayde, SM Foundation Executive Director for Education, expressed the benefactors’ satisfaction in being able to finish and turnover the new school building in time for Christmas. “The completion of this new building symbolizes a new beginning for the residents of Colong-Colong, Ibajay. SM Foundation hopes to continue giving hope to those who have been affected by Yolanda.”

The turnover and blessing of the newly constructed school building was attended by Ibajay, Aklan Municipal Mayor, Ma. Lourdes Miraflores; BDO Area Head, Glenn Ong; BDO Foundation President, Maureen Abelardo; and SM Foundation Executive Director for Education Linda Atayde.

To date, SM Foundation has already donated 63 school buildings with 168 classrooms and repaired 18 school buildings with 42 classrooms, nationwide.