SM Group and Deutsche Bank Donate P17M Worth of Classrooms

One of the country’s biggest firms and an international bank are giving some P17 million to help government deal with the perennial scarcity in public school classrooms.

The SM Group, a retail store, along with Deutsche Bank, signed agreements with the Department of Education (DepEd) to fund up to 26 classrooms in selected locations.

The assistance came as DepEd doubled its classroom building goal this year to some 30,000 across the country to reduce by more than half the existing shortage.

Public schools are currently in need of some 50,000 classrooms to reduce congestion and achieve the suitable classroom-student ratio of one to 45.

“The resource distance in the country’s public school system is so enormous that any aid from other sectors especially non-public businesses is most welcome.

In respect to the fresh agreements, SM Prime will handle the construction of a two-story building with four classrooms in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

SM Prime will also build six 1 story, 2 classroom,: one unit each in Davao City, General Santos, Sariaya and Cebu; and 2 units (four rooms) in Pampanga.

The overall P10.8-million project value will also pay for classroom fittings, including chairs, furniture, wall fans and chalkboards.

SM Prime and Deutsche Bank also donated a 2 classroom in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, and a 2 story, 4 room building in Navotas City, each contributing P2.15 million.

With Banco De Oro Foundation, SM Prime will construct a P2.2million building with 4 school rooms in GenSan City. Lecture rooms will be complete with school furniture.

The project with the SM Group and Deutsche Bank will be under the Adopt-a-School system, “one of DepEd’s most successful and innovative ways” of working with the non-public industry.