IN celebration of Security Bank Corp.’s (SBC) 60th anniversary, Security Bank Foundation Inc. (SBFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of SBC, in partnership with Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), will be funding the construction of 60 classrooms for public schools over a five-year period.

The project entitled “Build a School, Build a Nation: the 60 Classrooms Project (A Partnership for the Construction of Public School Classrooms Between Security Bank Foundation and Ateneo De Manila University)” aims to help solve the lack of classrooms in public schools and to help improve the academic performance of the public-school students.

This year, SBFI and ADMU, in partnership with the Local Government of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, and Department of Education (DepEd)-Nueva Ecija will start the project by building three units of a 2-story building with four classrooms for three elementary and secondary public schools in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija.

The project was launched with a ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on May 17 at the Security Bank corporate headquarters in Ayala Avenue, Makati City.

The signing of the MOA for the project was led by SBFI chairman Rafael F. Simpao Jr. and ADMU president Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres SJ. The MOA for the construction of the first school building donation for Sta. Rita Elementary School was also signed during the event. The groundbreaking will be held on Nov. 25.

In attendance during the project launching were SBFI trustees Melissa Aquino and Joselito Mape, Gloria Crespo-Congco of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, DepEd-Nueva Ecija Division Superintendent Tacila Javier, DepEd District of Cabiao Supervisor Iluminada Cunanan, Cabiao public-school principals, Gawad Kalinga representatives and the senior officers of SBC.

The 60-classroom project is a reaffirmation of Security Banks commitment towards poverty alleviation and education.