Aboitiz Foundation and ING Hubs Philippines formally sealed their partnership on 17 November in Makati City with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement, strengthening their joint commitment to expand digital access and reliable power supply in geographically isolated schools.

The collaboration focuses on bringing solar power, internet connectivity, and digital learning tools to four last-mile schools in Doña Remedios Trinidad (DRT), Bulacan: Basyo Elementary School, Bato Elementary School, Kawit Elementary School, and Pinag-Anakan Integrated School. These communities currently face limited electricity and unreliable connectivity, conditions that hinder modern learning.

Under the partnership, ING Hubs Philippines will install off-grid solar PV systems in the beneficiary schools, including 10 solar panels per site, a 6.5 kW inverter, a hybrid battery system, mounting structures, and internal wiring to power lights, laptops, connectivity equipment, and appliances. The donation builds on ING’s earlier efforts, such as establishing learning corners and donating 150 laptops and used books to public school students and teachers.

“For us, this partnership reflects a shared commitment that goes beyond building sustainable solutions,” said ING country manager Hazel Zaide delos Santos. “It’s good to see that we are going to power schools, which will make learning more comfortable for both students and teachers. And of course, they will form part of the industry at some point when they graduate,” she added.

Aboitiz Foundation president Ana Margarita Hontiveros-Malvar emphasized the program’s role in providing equitable access to education. AuroraPH, Aboitiz Foundation’s flagship education transformation initiative, focuses on energizing and equipping unserved schools with solar power, Starlink internet connectivity, digital tools, and teacher training.

“We are really proud that now we can collaborate and cooperate together so that we can continue to light up, power up, and connect last-mile schools across the Philippines,” Hontiveros-Malvar said.

AuroraPH has already energized 11 schools and benefited more than 2,500 students and teachers since its 2024 pilot run. The program targets energizing 100 schools in 2025 and 300 schools overall, representing 20% of all unenergized schools in the country.

As part of the agreement, Aboitiz Foundation will also provide Starlink installation, teacher capacity-building, program logistics, documentation, and coordination with DepEd Bulacan.

DepEd Bulacan’s Public Schools District Supervisor and OIC–Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Jaime T. Tugade expressed optimism but suggested expanding the initiative beyond school grounds. When schools are damaged by natural calamities, he said learning must continue, and students need reliable access to resources even outside school premises.

“We can stop schooling, but we cannot stop the learning,” he said.

The partnership also supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality education and aligns with the country’s broader learning recovery efforts.

As the initiative moves forward, Aboitiz Foundation and ING Hubs aim to build resilient, digitally equipped learning environments, ensuring that even the most remote communities are not left behind in the nation’s transformation into a more inclusive, tech-enabled society.