THE Covid-19 pandemic made 2020 a challenging year and the education sector was not spared.
The global health crisis affected teachers, students and parents. In the Philippines, distance learning has been imposed by the government since October to protect students and teaching staff from contracting the novel coronavirus, which was first detected in Wuhan, China.
Typhoons
A series of typhoons that hit different parts of the country caused immense destruction to school infrastructure and learning materials.
School buildings and furniture were damaged, technology equipment and supplies, learning materials and printed modules for remote distance learning were ruined and washed away due to massive flooding.
In response to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) call for help, City Savings Bank Inc. (CitySavings) mobilized its calamity-related assistance through its various relief distributions and education recovery support initiatives in typhoon-affected areas in Regions 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 5 and the National Capital Region.
Relief goods
Over 1,800 relief goods (rice, canned goods, water, vitamins, coffee) and hygiene kits (bath soap, toothpaste, toothbrush) were distributed as immediate aid.
Clemente Atesora, an evacuee who works for Calamba Bayside Integrated School in Laguna, thanked CitySavings for its aid.
The bank also donated printers, inks and bond papers to assist in the replacement and reproduction of self-learning modules (SLMs) to 75 schools and divisions in Luzon.
“The corporate social responsibility projects of City Savings Bank have always been felt by the Schools Division Office of Camarines Sur, from the printing of SLMs to the relief operations due to typhoons Rolly and Ulysses. Thank you very much for being our active partner,” said Loida Nidea CESO V, schools division superintendent of the Division of Camarines Sur.
Committed
CitySavings Reputation and Brand Management head Paula Ruelan said the bank will never abandon the education sector in 2021 and in the future.
“We are committed to supporting our education sector by providing resources the best way we can. We advocate equal access to quality education despite the adversities brought by these natural calamities during this time of global health crisis” Ruelan said.
Guided by the Aboitiz Group’s purpose to drive change for a better world, CitySavings has pledged its support to the DepEd under the government’s Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan for the school year 2020-2021.
CitySavings is the thrift bank subsidiary of Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) and a member of the Aboitiz Group. It is one of the largest thrift banks in the country and provides a range of mass market financial products and services such as salary loans to public and private school teachers, pension loans to Government Service Insurance System and Social Security System pensioners, overseas Filipino Workers loans, seafarer loans, motorcycle loans and traditional deposit products. The bank now has more than 140 branches nationwide.