BAGUIO CITY — SM Foundation, in partnership with SM Prime Holdings Inc. turned over its 75th school building built nationwide, the 4th school building donated to Baguio City.
 
A two-story, four-classroom building fully furnished with four toilets, 200 arm chairs, four sets of teacher’s tables and chairs, eight blackboards, 16 electric wall fans and four wall clocks was turned over to the Lucban Elementary School. Computers and laptops were donated as well to complement and support the school’s ICT program.
 
Lucban Elementary School is one of nine central schools of Baguio City.
 
At present, it is the second biggest public elementary school in the City of Pines in terms of teachers and pupils population. For school year 2016- 17, the student population is 2,800 with an average classroom to student ratio at 1:45 although there are classrooms that accommodate 35 students.
 
The school also offers special science classes from Grades 1 – 3.
 
“Four classes for Grade 3 students will occupy the four classrooms in this new school building,” said Joseph Estigoy, Lucban Elementary School principal. The classrooms will be equipped with science facilities for use by qualified Science students who have undergone rigid examinations.
 
“Thank you is not enough to fully express our gratitude to SM Prime and SM Foundation for their generosity that will surely benefit our school children,” Estigoy added. “The students will have a better environment for learning that will inspire them and even make them enjoy studying.”
 
The new school buildings augment the 21 buildings already existing in the school campus.
 
SM Foundation has donated three other school buildings in Baguio: one in Irisan Elementary School, one in Pinsao National High School and another in Josefa Carino Elementary School.
 
A fifth school building is undergoing construction at the Quezon Elementary School also in Baguio.
 
Linda Atayde, SMFI executive director for education together with SM City Baguio mall manager Rona Vida Correa joined school officials led by Estigoy, DepEd school division superintendent Agustin Laban III and Rafael Talukoy, secretary to Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan at the inauguration of the school building.
 
Atayde, in her message to the school emphasized that the donation is “not just the structure but a place where students build their memories.”
 
She mentioned of SMFI college scholars in Baguio, three of whom are graduates of the Lucban Elementary School presently pursuing IT, accountancy and education courses in the University of the Cordillera and the St. Louis University.
 
The 75 school buildings built nationwide has a total of 228 classrooms in support of DepEd’s Adopt-a-School Program.
 
The school building program started in 2002.