A SCHOOLBUILDING built by SM Foundation opened in time for classes at the Gov. Natalio and Susana Enriquez Elementary School in Sampaloc, Sariaya, Quezon.

Built by SM Prime through the SM Foundation, the schoolhouse was a welcome addition as two sections of the 609-student-population of the school were holding classes in the covered court for two years.

According to school principal Lyra Catarroja, the blackboards were used as a temporary ‘division’ between the two sections while the students were exposed to heat and dust during the summer months and intermittent showers during the rainy season.

‘This is a most welcome donation from SM especially that we are adopting the K+12 requirement of the Department of Education. With the new classroom, we will have one shift from Grades 1 to 6 with a ratio of 43-1 while K will have 2 shifts to accommodate all new enrollees,’ said Catarroja. ‘Our only problem now are the salaries of the kindergarten teachers-volunteers as the subsidy of the DepEd is minimal.’

The school’s Parents’ and Teachers’ Association is trying to help the school with this problem along with the local government of Sariaya. As in all school inaugurations, books were donated along with computers for the students.

To coincide with the inauguration of the new SM schoolhouse, a medical mission of the SM Foundation was held for two successive days at the SM City in Lucena.

Thousands had availed themselves of the services offered by volunteers from the Department of Health, the Philippine Medical Association, medical volunteers from private practitioners and private and government hospitals as well as those from the local government unit in Quezon.

The turnover of the schoolbuilding was witnessed by the school’s teachers and students along with government officials led by Rep. Irvin M. Alcala who was instrumental in seeking SM’s help in putting up the school. Also on hand to accept the donation was Allan Loria municipal administrative officer.

School officials led by Catarroja included Schools Division Supt. Tolentino Aquino and District Supervisor Carmelita Tinana.

SM officials were Regional Operations Manager of SM Prime Jayson Terrenal, SM City Lucena Mall Manager Celia Alquiros and Lilibeth Azores, SM’s Public Relations Manager.

SM Foundation’s Executive Director for Education Carmen Linda Atayde and Eleanor Lansang, education project manager represented SM Foundation.