The Department of Education (DepEd) has partnered with Generation HOPE and several local brands to address the country’s classroom shortage.

The collaboration, which includes brands like Aivee, BDO Credit Cards, Carmen’s Best, Grab, Penshoppe, SM Supermalls and Sunnies, will use a portion of the proceeds from their products and services to help fund new classrooms nationwide.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the initiative complements the government’s existing classroom-building programs.

“With the help of HOPE and our private partners, we want to prove that when the private and public sector unite, we can achieve our dreams faster that no child will be left behind in education,” Angara said. “In Bagong Pilipinas, hope is not something we wait for but rather something we build together.”

According to the organizations, each HOPE classroom is a 7-by-9 meter structure designed to withstand harsh weather. They are equipped with a chalkboard, a teacher’s table, wall fans, large windows, and a toilet.

Generation HOPE, founded in 2012 by philanthropist Nanette Medved-Po, has previously channeled all profits from its products, such as Hope in a Bottle and Hope in a Box, into classroom construction.

Medved-Po said the partnership offers Filipinos a simple way to contribute to nation-building.

“Filipinos always come together in times of need,” she said. “In a world that is increasingly divided, let’s harness that power every day to support something we can all agree on -- investing in the youth of this country to build a nation and ensure a brighter future.”

To date, HOPE has built 144 classrooms, benefiting more than 52,000 students.