The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Jezrel Santillan
The SM Foundation recently turned over a newly built school building to the Balatong Elementary School in Pulilan, Bulacan.
The two-storey building has four fully furnished classrooms with 200 armchairs (including 20 left-handed armchairs), four sets of teacher’s table/chairs, 16 wall fans, eight blackboards, four wall clocks and toilets with PWD facilities such as PWD ramp.
The new building will be used by Grade 5 students of Balatong.
The Balatong school building donated by SM Prime through the SM Foundation is the 89th building donation under the School Building Project that started in 2002.
The Balatong Elementary School with 1,173 enrollees caters to three barangays in the Tenejero and Balatong. The building was completed after four months of planning, coordination and actual construction. The building will open on September 3, Monday.
The continuous support and hard work of the team of Ms. Carmen Linda Atayde, executive director for Education of SM Foundation led to the completion of the latest school building that benefits students, teachers and parents.
During the turn over ceremony, Ms. Atayde emphasized the importance of the latest building donation of SM Foundation and how it contributes to improving the quality of education.
The SM Foundation meanwhile shared that SM founder Henry Sy himself believes that education is the best defense against poverty. He believed that if used and applied correctly, education can be the best weapon to change the world.
The SM Foundation has other programs such as college scholarship, medical missions, outreach (farmers training) and many more.
The teachers, non-teaching staff and students of Balatong Elementary School also helped complete the project. Mr. Rolando L. Cruz, president of the Parents-Teacher Association of Balatong Elementary School, expressed his gratitude for the completion of the new school building.
Excitement was evident among the Grade 5 students, teachers, staff and other pupils.
The Balatong Elementary School has several notable school projects such as an eco-friendly garden and school-wide waste management. Teachers and students recycle materials into plant pots, huge containers as trash cans, and old chairs for plant pots also.
SM is the only company in the Philippines that donates left-handed armchairs. SM is celebrating 60 years of service in the country.
