Wilma Manio (third from left), Principal of Commonwealth Elementary School, and Marla Garin-Alvarez (fourth from left), Head of Sustainability Office of BDO Unibank, lead the ceremonial turnover of BDO’s school donation which includes laptops, computer tables, TVs and projector screens. Joining them are (From L-R) Mario Deriquito, President of BDO Foundation, Vicente Perez Jr., Independent Director of BDO Unibank, Evelyn Salagubang, Head of Human Resources Group of BDO Unibank, and Rosemarie Espinosa, Program Director of BDO Foundation.

BDO Unibank Inc. (BDO) participated in the Department of Education’s (DepEd) “Brigada Eskwela” 2023, a nationwide school maintenance program which encourages local governments, communities, businesses, non-governmental organizations and individuals to help in the public school clean-up before the opening of classes.

A hundred and seventy BDO employees volunteered their time and skills at Commonwealth Elementary School, one of the highly-populated elementary schools in the Philippines. BDO adopted Jun Simon Building where volunteers painted and cleaned ten classrooms for the incoming 900 grade two students. Others were at the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” for vegetable gardening. The volunteer activity ended with a ceremonial turn-over of BDO’s school donation of laptops, computer tables, TVs and projector screens. This was the main kick-off event for BDO’s “Brigada Eskwela” initiatives nationwide.  

Vicente Perez Jr. painting a school desk at Jun Simon Building.

BDO’s partnership with DepEd is vital to advance the Bank’s sustainability initiatives in the country related to education. Through the recently-launched Employee Volunteer Program (EVP), BDO employees from various locations have contributed to a more conducive and vibrant learning environment. This program empowers employees to become sustainability champions through volunteer work. The EVP also supports sustainability-themed activities that address poverty and hunger, environment and financial inclusion.