Japanese trader says have a seat and study

The School Desk Project project aims to provide at least 500,000 seats for around 2,523 public schools in the country. The school desk project goes hand in hand with PBSP’s fundraising efforts to build 10,000 classrooms under the Bayanihang Pampaaralan initiative.

RK Shimizu Foundation, Inc. turned over its disaster-resilient desks and chairs to six (6) schools in Concepcion, Tarlac namely Minane Elementary School, Vicente Calius Primary School, Jefmin Elementary School, Parang Elementary School, Mabilog Elementary School, and Sto. Cristo Elementary School.

The tables and chairs are designed to carry five times the weight of an average person or approximately 250 kilograms. These are meant to be the student’s hiding place during earthquakes.

Shimizu first came to the Philippines in 1969 and since then, he has become close to the people. “I have visited the Philippines for more than 500 times, therefore I can call the Philippines as my second home country.”

When he founded the RK Shimizu Foundation, Inc. in 2011, his objective is to promote a closer relationship between Japan and the Philippines.

“I feel this initiative of Mr. Shimizu is a very good model of how our two countries can forge a partnership along our Filipino “bayanihan” spirit– our homegrown version of working together,” said Armin Luistro, secretary of the Department of Education whose Adopt-a-School program was being supported by the Shimizu Foundation among others.

The Japanese businessman and philanthropist believes that  “education is the only key to a country’s success.”

He expressed his desire to pay back the kindness a lot of Filipinos have shown him. Through education, he knew he is on the right track. Shimizu added that his advocacy to build 20 to 30 schools in the next three years are in full swing