First-time volunteers show eagerness to join PBSP’s ‘Ready for School’ campaign
Over 200 employee-volunteers from seven companies joined PBSP’s 12th Ready for School (RFS) kick-off ceremony at the Malabon Elementary School in Malabon City last May 18, 2019.
Part of this group are 50 first-time volunteers from three new companies who worked with long-time RFS volunteers in covering books, repainting school chairs and blackboards, and cleaning classrooms.
FIRST-TIME RFS VOLUNTEERS from Country Bankers Insurance Group cover textbooks during the 12th Ready for School (RFS) kick-off at the Malabon Elementary School in Malabon City.
GIVING BACK
Rachel Martillan of The Bookmark, Inc. sees the RFS as a tiring but a great experience. She said that it’s more than just painting jobs or cleaning classrooms but it also encourages unity among volunteers from different companies.
“As volunteers, we play an important role. Amid our busy schedules, we work together to guarantee that the classrooms and school facilities are ready for the opening of classes. No matter how big or small the effort is, it will definitely have an impact on the lives of the kids. I am proud to be part of RFS. I am a product of public schools and I know how it feels to have newly-painted chairs, blackboards, and clean classrooms on the first day of classes,” she said.
THE BOOKMARK, INC. Admin. Assistant, Rachel Martillan is a first-time RFS participant who chose to volunteer as her way of showing support and gratitude to PBSP. Martillan’s father was trained and employed at the PBSP-Center for Rural TEchnology and Development in the 1990’s.
More than the volunteering work and the desire to help public school kids, Martillan has another good reason to join the RFS.
“My father is a former PBSP-CRTD employee and I would like to repay the kindness that our family received from the organization. I truly support and congratulate PBSP for this program. You added a new meaning to the Filipino concept of unity and you never fail to help the less fortunate,” Martillan shared.
One of the new additions to the roster this year is Normita Ureta, a volunteer through Pfizer Philippines Foundation who is an alumnus of the school.
“I enjoyed and loved the experience. Ready for School is dear to me because I came from a public school and my daughter is also a graduate of a public school. What makes it more special to me is that I am a graduate of Malabon ES and it feels good to come back and do something for my school,” said Ureta.
PERSONAL ADVOCACY
Volunteering work is not new for first-time RFS participant Gerard Cebreros of Country Bankers Insurance Group (CBIG) who covered textbooks during the event.
“Even if we are too busy with our lives, it does not take a lot to give back as long as we have the willingness to help and serve other people. This worthy endeavor opens multiple doors for learning and reflections. It is one venue that allows everyone to contribute no matter how big or small, and be part of the change that we aim for,” said Cebreros.
He used to conduct school clean-up projects as a student government officer in college. Now, as a staff of CBIG, he is happy to be able to continue his advocacy, especially that the RFS campaign is aligned with their organization’s CSR initiatives.
COLLECTIVE ACTION FOR EDUCATION
PBSP provides platforms for employee engagement to enable company employees to participate in the collective task of nation-building. Over the last 11 years, PBSP’s Ready for School clean-up campaign has engaged more than 2,500 employee-volunteers from 82 companies in helping 46 schools nationwide.
EMPLOYEE-VOLUNTEERS from Pfizer Philippines Foundation paint chairs during PBSP’s 12th Ready for School (RFS) kick-off at the Malabon Elementary School in Malabon City. This was the company’s first RFS or school clean-up activity.
Ready for School is just one of the many initiatives and projects of PBSP to help improve the quality of education in the Philippines. With the support of its member companies and partners, the organization also builds classrooms and or school buildings in remote places nationwide; supports the implementation of senior high school through provision of materials, equipment and fees for TESDA certifications; provides public schools with learning resource centers; awards scholarships to deserving indigent students; conducts in-school supplemental feeding; and trains teachers and school administrators.