SM continues rehabilitation efforts in Yolanda-stricken areas

SM Foundation turned over a two-storey, four-classroom school building to the Northern Tacloban City National High School (NTCNHS) on April 24 in partnership with Deutsche Bank. This came just days after SM Cares, a division of SM Foundation, turned over 400 disaster-resilient houses to Typhoon Yolanda victims in the same area.

In 2013, Typhoon Yolanda heavily devastated the Eastern Visayas region. Tacloban in particular had around 90% of its school infrastructures damaged. The NTCNHS is the 11th school building donated by SM Foundation as part of its continued efforts to help rebuild the communities affected by Yolanda. Other initiatives include scholarship grants, farmers’ trainings, medical missions, the reconstruction of the Tacloban City Hospital, and the SM Cares Yolanda Housing Program.

According to Ma. Delia Escobarte-Soria, principal of NTCNHS, this year’s enrollees are expected to increase to 900 due to the ongoing relocation of families from nearby barangays damaged by the typhoon.

Deutsche Bank employee-volunteers also came together to paint inspiring artworks on the classroom walls to help create a positive and fun environment for the students. The group also gave out new school bags complete with school supplies to students.

Ella Marteja, parent to one of the students of NTCNHS, expressed her gratitude for the addition of the new building. “I am happy that the pressing needs of the school, in terms of classroom buildings, have been answered by the stakeholders, SM Foundation in partnership with Deutsche Bank.”

The NTCNHS is SM Foundation’s 73rd school building donation since 2001. The school building program is part of SM Foundation’s commitment to education which also includes full scholarship grants for college and technical-vocational education.