Telstra Philippines ties up with PBSP for school clean-up in Pasay South HS

Telstra Philippines recently gathered around 80 employee-volunteers to participate in Philippine Business for Social Progress’ (PBSP) 12th Ready for School activities held at the Pasay City South High School (PSCHS) in Pasay City last Saturday, June 1, 2019.

The event turned out to be a surprise challenge for the volunteers as they were tasked to finish a total of 205 chairs before noon time. But they did not disappoint as they were able to do the job on time. One by one, they stacked up the newly-painted chairs to the drying area every half an hour before 12 noon. There were also a few pairs of additional hands to help them with the sanding, the cleaning, and finally the repainting of these chairs as PCSHS also sent their own delegation of students and faculty members to help in the activity.

BRINGING EMPLOYEES TOGETHER

Internal Communications Specialist and three- time RFS volunteer Joniel Godino, thinks that the campaign gets better and more fun each year with a new school, more chairs to paint, and new faces to work with.

“We’re more productive today. My group finished nine chairs. I have always been into community volunteering so whenever there’s an opportunity and I have free time, I share it with the community. I will absolutely join next year’s RFS again. Thank you very much to Telstra and PBSP for working together in creating more inclusive projects like this, for providing an avenue to those who want to help and by bringing employees to work together,” said Godino.

Don Reyes from Telstra Enterprise who painted chairs is confident that a clean school and new school chairs can definitely inspire the students to study better.

“The experience is humbling. it was really good that everyone in the company took part in it. Everyone was smiling and we will go home knowing that we have done our part in actually making a better world,” Reyes shared. 

CONTINUED SUPPORT

The activity was Telstra’s first Ready for School in PCSHS which was also a recipient of the company’s STEM Assistance Program, in partnership with the Department of Education and PBSP. Volunteer-facilitators for STEM also came to support this year’s RFS.

“I was one of the facilitators of the Telstra Foundation Philippines Interest Clubs and I came back to also support the RFS. I painted chairs. It’s really fulfilling that at the end of the day, you know that you were able to help. This is one way to encourage students to strive harder in their journey in school because they know that there are a lot of people who are there to help them,” said Amor Mulleno, Telstra Process Support.

Part of the RFS activities in PCSHS was the painting of wall murals. This new activity was in addition to the regular repainting and repair of chairs and blackboards, covering of textbooks, and school clean-up. With the help of the senior high students and PBSP personnel, the employees finished nine artworks at the back of the TVL building.

PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION

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.