UnionBank and Aboitiz Foundation provide values books to elementary schools

Friday, November 7, 2008

UnionBank of the Philippines, in partnership with the Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., conducted an Orientation & Training on “As A Filipino” Learning System” last November 6 at the Ecotech Center in Cebu City. UnionBank and the Foundation designed the whole-day activity to introduce teaching methods on Philippine values education to 665 Grade II teachers and school officials from 168 public elementary schools in Metro Cebu divisions of the Department of Education.

One of the event’s highlights was the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing between UnionBank, Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. and Department of Education Region VII. The MOU stipulated that in response to DepEd’s call for private sector participation in the improvement of education, literacy, and teacher training in public schools, UnionBank will provide education resources. Unionbank will implement their “As A Filipino Learning System,” a program that will focus on integrating values education in their curriculum to teach children about becoming good Filipino citizens.

Moreover, UnionBank will donate a Teacher Training Kit that will include an “As A Filipino Storybook,” Teacher's Handbook, Student's Workbook, Theme Song CD and Teaching Videos. 

“As a Filipino Storybook” was produced by UnionBank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) group to strengthen basic reading skills of the pupils, instill time-honored Filipino values such as love of country and good citizenship; and inspire and guide the readers to become citizens who will make their homeland proud. The book was printed in large size with letter-types big enough to be read by the pupils and with illustrations using student-friendly characters and bright colors.

The Aboitiz Foundation, which is the corporate foundation of the Aboitiz Group of Companies and sister company of UnionBank, will spearhead the promotion and distribution of the books. The Foundation will also be in charge of monitoring the usage of the books and the level of learning that the pupils can generate from the books.

For the 168 public elementary schools, UnionBank’s project will provide books to approximately 33,077 students from the Divisions of Talisay, Lapu-lapu, Mandaue, Cebu City and in the Province Division in Liloan and Consolacion.

The 665 teachers, who will be trained and oriented with the books, will receive separate sets of answer keys to the learning exercises found on the books that will be provided to the pupils. UnionBank will also give each school sets of wide and illustrated books.