Brighter days are coming to Last Mile Schools in Sarangani as the Macaulay Club, comprised of Sun Life’s top-performing financial advisors, collaborates with Solar Village Foundation to tackle education challenges caused by lack of access to electricity.
In a ceremony organized by Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc. (Sun Life Foundation), the Macaulay Club turned over a PHP 4.5 million grant to the Solar Village Foundation. This will fund the installation of solar-powered lighting and printing systems, and the provision of solar lanterns to teachers in 13 Last Mile Schools. These are schools located in remote areas facing various resource challenges including lack of electricity, scarce educational materials, makeshift classrooms, and limited teaching staff. They also typically serve marginalized communities, such as indigenous peoples.
The joint project aims to improve learning conditions for students and enhance the safety and comfort of teachers, who not only reside in dark quarters, but also travel on foot for hours over dangerous terrain.
Gracing the ceremony were Sun Life Philippines CEO & Country Head and Sun Life Foundation Chairman Benedict Sison, Sun Life Foundation President Alex Narciso, Sun Life Philippines Chief Distribution Officer Al Quitangon, Macaulay Club President Owdylyn Lee, Solar Village Foundation Chairman Jimmy Ayala, and Solar Village Foundation Trustee Carla Villacorta.
“This grant from the Macaulay Club is our top financial advisors’ way of giving back and contributing to building a brighter future for our fellow Filipinos,” said Al Quitangon, Sun Life Philippines Chief Distribution Officer. “Sun Life has a long and rich history in the Philippines, having been operating here for almost 130 years.”
“We at the Sun Life Foundation believe that brighter schools make for brighter futures, which is why we are very happy to support this project,” said Kristine Millete, Executive Director of the Sun Life Foundation. “We thank the Macaulay Club and Solar Village Foundation for their work for the children and teachers of Sarangani.”
As the philanthropic arm of Sun Life Philippines, the country’s first and longest-standing insurance company, the Sun Life Foundation is committed to nurturing the learning of Filipino children by supporting various education initiatives across the country.