The Security Bank Foundation is rehabilitating typhoon-ridden schools in Bicol and donating roofing material

Despite closed borders, Security Bank Foundation Inc. (SERI), the corporate social responsibility division of Security Bank, wasted no time in responding to the damage wrought by Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses in Bicol. With peak wind speeds of around 215 km / h and heavy rains, residents were advised to seek shelter in evacuation areas, many of which were schools and community gyms.

Many schools were hit by two strong typhoons in the region, which caused considerable damage to the classrooms, especially the roofing, and made them unusable as evacuation sites. In close cooperation with the departmental offices of the Ministry of Education (DepEd) in Naga and Legazpi, SERI donated a total of 1,454 sheets of galvanized iron (GI) to repair damaged school roofs in Naga City, Camarines Sur and Legazpi City. A total of 45 schools benefited from the SERI donation, which was made possible by the bank’s customer donation initiative last December 2020. “The Legazpi City School Department is deeply grateful to the Security Bank Foundation for generously lending us these GI sheets to help clean up damaged classrooms” from Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses, “said Crestito Morcilla, city principal Legazpi. By default, SERI evaluates its donated school buildings every five years in order to assess the structural integrity and the ability to learn.

Those that have been badly damaged by disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons are given priority repairs to ensure student safety and avoid disruption to class when face-to-face classes are resumed. “The various beneficiary schools in Naga were so grateful and would like to express their sincere thanks to the Security Bank for their support. They wanted the Security Bank Foundation to continue their educational work for a better nation, â€said Marivel Florin, Security Bank Business Manager for Naga Diversion Road Branch.