The Ayala Group elevated the back-to-school preparations this year by deploying employees with technical and professional expertise to campuses across the country as part of its Brigadang Ayala Balik Eskwela program.

More than 2,400 Ayala employees contributed their time and skills to 116 public schools in various provinces, supporting the Department of Education’s Balik Eskwela initiative beyond traditional repainting and cleanup efforts.

The initiative saw over 860 skilled workers — including engineers, electricians, IT experts, nurses, nutritionists, security personnel, and landscape artists — perform tasks that improved school safety, infrastructure, and readiness for the school year.

Jay Bosi, an engineer from Globe, volunteered to conduct a safety inspection at Pedro “Oloy” N. Roa Sr. Elementary School in Cagayan de Oro City. He flagged potential electrical hazards and recommended corrective actions to school officials.

“It's an activity that leaves you feeling more refreshed instead of tired, more energized instead of exhausted — because you know you've done something meaningful beyond yourself,” Bosi said. “I'm grateful that I could use my humble skills to help create a safer learning environment for hundreds of children.”

This year’s Brigadang Ayala campaign logged a total of 13,160 volunteer hours, demonstrating the company’s commitment to high-skills volunteering as a form of community development and employee engagement.

“Skills-based volunteering is helping increase the quality of our community partnership programs,” said Tony Lambino, president of Ayala Foundation, which leads the conglomerate’s volunteerism and social development efforts.

Brigadang Ayala operates year-round through disaster response and community initiatives. In 2023, the program logged 412,926 volunteer hours, exceeding its pledge of 190,000 hours in celebration of Ayala’s 190th anniversary.

The company continues to emphasize strategic volunteerism by matching employees’ professional capabilities with real-world needs on the ground.

For more information about Brigadang Ayala, visit the Ayala Foundation website.