QBE, PBSP spruce up Taguig school through clean-up campaign
From the lack of classrooms, overpopulated students and the area being in a muddy, and grassy location, Ricardo P. Cruz Elementary School in Taguig was able to overcome numerous challenges and transform as the Best Implementer awardee of Brigada Eskwela, offering a better learning environment for the students in Taguig City.
Brigada Eskwela Coordinator Leila R. Beler said that they used to hold two shifts (morning and afternoon classes) to be able to accommodate over 5,300 students and adjust to the lack of classrooms, school facilities, and educational materials.
QBE EMPLOYEE-VOLUNTEERS actively participate in the covering of books at Ricardo P. Cruz Elementary School in Taguig City in support to the Ready for School campaign of the Philippine Business for Social Progress.
The school also worked with the Department of Education (DepEd), local government unit, and other organizations to help improve the facilities and provide the needed materials.
Today, the Ricardo P Cruz ES has six school buildings and another three under the final stages of construction. The school also has concrete surroundings which make it convenient for students especially during the rainy season.
On top of these, Ricardo P. Cruz ES also holds the Best Implementer Award for the Brigada Eskwela Mega School Category in the Division Level and represented the Division of Taguig City in the Regional Level in 2017. Last year, they were able to compete and got the 5th place for the Best Implementer Mega School Category in the National Level.
To help sustain its success and interventions, Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) recently partnered with QBE Group Shared Services Centre (GSSC) to conduct its Ready for School (RFS) clean-up campaign at the Ricardo P. Cruz ES.
Over 100 employee-volunteers from QBE GSSC trooped to the school to paint 254 chairs, cover 454 books, clean five classrooms, and paint five blackboards. The company also donated planting and painting materials.
OVER 250 CHAIRS get spruced up by QBE employee-volunteers in support to the Ready for School campaign of the Philippine Business for Social Progress at Ricardo P. Cruz Elementary School in Taguig City.
QBE Events and Community Lead Marichu Ferguson said that for the past two years, QBE GSSC has been supporting the RFS campaign of PBSP in the Visayas region. This year, they expanded their volunteerism program in Luzon to continue their commitment to help improve the quality of education and give back to communities.
“I think everybody has a right to quality education. Our organization feels strongly about doing good for the community and we motivate our employees by providing venues for them to give back. Our goal is to help provide a safe learning environment for the students and ease the burden of the teachers. We believe in the positive change we do, whether big or small. At the end of the day, what’s important is that the students are happy and so are our volunteers,” Ferguson shared.
Meanwhile, Ricardo P. Cruz ES hopes that this collaboration with PBSP and QBE GSSC will continue and help them as they seek another achievement in this year’s Brigada Eskwela. The RFS campaign brought a big impact not only to the school, but also to its community.
PREPARING FOR SCHOOL OPENING – Employee-volunteers of QBE GSSC painted the blackboards of Ricardo P. Cruz Elementary School during PBSP’s Ready for School clean-up activity in Taguig City.
“It is indeed a great help for all of us through painting of chairs and blackboards, covering of books, and cleaning of classrooms…Hopefully, you will still be our stakeholder in the years to come,” Beler said.
The RFS, which began in 2007, supports the Department of Education’s “Brigada Eskwela” program. PBSP initially pooled funds from its member-companies for the purchase of books, school supplies, bags, food products, and classroom cleaning materials to help public schools students have a better learning experience.
In 2015, the RFS institutionalized the engagement of employee-volunteers from various companies to do the actual repainting of school chairs and blackboards, covering of books, construction of reading nooks, and classroom clean-up in public elementary and high schools nationwide.