Insider Spotlight:
The milestone was marked by the turnover of a new two-story, six-classroom Technical-Livelihood Education building at Zamboanga City High School Main.
The facility is designed to strengthen skills-based education in one of the city’s largest public high schools, which serves more than 8,000 students across over 200 class sections but operates with 136 available classrooms.
Why it matters
Purpose-built for hands-on instruction, the new building contains laboratory spaces for caregiving, dressmaking, drafting, cookery and other TLE programs . The additional classrooms aim to ease congestion while giving students access to specialized spaces that support practical learning.
The turnover reflects more than two decades of sustained investment in public school facilities by the foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of listed lender Security Bank.
What they’re saying
“This 900th classroom is not just a milestone for the Foundation, but a testament to the countless students and educators who continue to persevere despite limitations,” SBFI chairman Rafael Simpao Jr. said in a company statement.
“Zamboanga City has been part of our journey since we built our 100th classroom here in 2014. We are honored to be able to continue building alongside the community.”
For Dr. Anna Bella Espinosa, principal of Zamboanga City High School Main, the new facility addresses a long-standing gap in learning spaces, according to the company statement.
“Our biggest challenge was never the number of learners—it was finding enough spaces where meaningful learning could happen,” she shared. “TLE subjects demand laboratories where students can practice skills with dignity and safety. This building finally allows our learners to experience what quality, hands-on education truly looks like.”
The big picture
With the latest turnover, the foundation’s classroom donations now support 153 public schools across 92 cities and municipalities, contributing to improved learning environments for more than 40,000 students each year.
Established in 1951 and listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, Security Bank has positioned education as a cornerstone of its corporate citizenship strategy, with the 900-classroom milestone reinforcing its nationwide community footprint. — Princess Daisy C. Ominga | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
