Deutsche Bank Ag Manila partners with SM Prime and SM Foundation to build a new school building in Valenzuela

The partnership of SM Prime Holdings Inc., DEUTSCHE Bank Ag Manila and SM Foundation Inc. has resulted anew in a newly – constructed 2-storey, 4 classroom building complete with student chairs, tables, wall fans, computers and a toilet per classroom in Wawang Pulo, Valenzuela. Aside from these, murals depicting moral values are painted within the walls of the classrooms painstakingly done by volunteer employees of the Bank during week-ends.

The new 2-storey, 4-classroom school building of Wawang Pulo Elementary School

This is the 12th school building donation between SM Foundation and Deutsche Bank with a total of 48 classrooms built by the partners: one in Quezon City, 2 school buildings in Taytay, 2 in Bogo, Cebu, Caloocan, 2 in Cavite, one in both Pateros & San Jose del Monte.  More school buildings are jointly being built in Tacloban & Cebu expected to be finished within the year.

So far, Deutsche Bank has built 69 classrooms nationwide as part of its social commitment to promote educational well-being in the country.  “48 of these classrooms were built in joint partnership with SM Prime Holdings through the SM Foundation,” said Atty. Rhoniel S, Fajardo, Country Chief Operating Officer of Deutsche Bank. “The rest were built in partnership with the PBSP, Ayala Foundation & AGAPP,” he added.

According to School Principal Arcenoel Zapatos, there are 868 students enrolled in K-12 with an average of 40-60 students per section from Grades 1 – 10.  The new school building will host one section of Grade V1, Grade III, Kindergarten and a special class (SPED).   The school occupies 10,000 sq. meters with a total of 2 school buildings plus the 3rd new school building.

“We expect another school building to be built by the DEPED next school year that will greatly help reduce the number of students per section and hopefully the request for additional teachers will be approved,” said Zapatos.

The inauguration and blessings of the school building was attended by local government officials led by Councilor Cora Cortez representing Mayor Rex Gatchalian, Brgy. Captain Rodolfo Soriano,  Schools Division Superintendent Wilfredo Cabral, Debbie Sy, Executive Director of SM Foundation Inc., Linda Atayde, Exec. Dir. for Education of SMFI, Berna Velasco, Mall Manager of SM Marilao representing SM Prime Holding, Inc., Deutsche Bank’s Fajardo &  Jojo Reyes, VP & Head of Implementation of Deutsche Bank’s CSR Programs.