School in Typhoon devastated area in Leyte gets new school building

The San Roque Elementary School in Tanauan, Leyte received a 2-storey, 4-classroom school building from partners SM Prime Holdings, Inc., Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), Inc., PSE Foundation & SM Foundation (SMFI). The donation was complete with 200 armchairs, 4 sets of teacher’s tables & chairs, 4 blackboards, 16 wall fans and assorted textbooks with each classroom equipped with a toilet. PSE executives led by its President, Hans Sicat, Directors Vivian Yuchengco, Edgardo Lacson and Daisy Arce also distributed hygiene kits to pupils.

According to the Department of Education (DepEd), the 15 classrooms of the San Roque Elementary were totally damaged by Yolanda (international name: Haiyan). Part of the school was declared a ‘no-dwell’ zone so the school had to make do with the remaining 565 sq. meters.  The 713 pupils of the school had to hold classes in tents provided by DepEd and temporary learning spaces donated by the Red Cross and UNICEF.

“The PSE-SMPHI-SMFI 4-classroom school building has greatly eased the congestion,” said San Roque Elementary School Principal Evelyn Encina.

According to DepEd, at least 975 schools in Region 8 need 751 new classrooms and 7,745 classroom repairs.  SM Foundation together with its partners has been responding to this call from DepEd with the continuing construction of school buildings in these areas.

The San Roque Elementary School is the 67th school building constructed by SM Foundation since it started its school building program in 2002. In support of the government’s Adopt-a-School Program, a total of 196 classrooms were turned over by SM Foundation to 67 public schools nationwide.