Mariwasa, DepEd ink pact for better facilities in public schools

MANILA, Philippines — Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Inc. and the Department of Education recently signed an agreement to upgrade the facilities of selected schools at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City. 

In a corporate social responsibility project that started in 2016, Mariwasa initially donated a total of P14.5 million worth of tiles, sanitary wares and SCG products to 120 public schools in the country, especially in far-flung areas, to provide better facilities. 

Mariwasa president Jakkrit Suwansilp said the company has increased its donation to P10 million this year with 70 schools as beneficiaries. 

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said some 7,000 schools have inadequate facilities.

“Up to know, the toilet is still our problem,” Briones said. “We spend a great part of our budgets in the classrooms.”

The legacy of the DepEd, according to Briones, will be to equip the teachers with necessary skills to provide quality education.

“We need to strengthen our national educators’ academy. For me, this is a very important legacy,” she said, emphasizing that better school facilities lead to increased learning.  

Suwansilp said he aimed to address this issue by introducing a two-day training course certified by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. 

The two-day TESDA-certified training course aims to equip both the students and the community with better work opportunities as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility. 

The signing of the agreement was also attended by 12 executives from various companies, which also inked a pact with the DepEd’s mission to provide better facilities and quality education.