ICTSI Foundation powers Manila school’s athletes, musicians

Public schools with huge student population face challenges like shortage in classroom, chair, educational materials, computers and other equipment. For Rosauro Almario Elementary School (RAES) in Tondo, Manila, its student athletes cope with the lack of sports gears by taking turns using uniforms and even mouthpieces during training. Such awkward practice, however, ends when RAES received donated sports and music equipment from the ICTSI Foundation (IF).

The donation from the corporate social responsibility arm of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is a reaffirmation of its commitment to nurturing young talents through an educational assistance.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and IF executive director Filipina Laurena led the turnover of donations at RAES Joaquin Domagoso Gymnasium on 12 March 2026.

The donations included top-of-the-line sports gear and equipment as well as musical instruments that will support 147 student-athletes, 80 drum and lyre band members, and 23 coaches and trainers, helping strengthen RAES’ sports and music programs.

Mayor Domagoso expressed appreciation to ICTSI, not only for its Foundation’s continued contribution to Manila’s development initiatives, but also for being one of the city’s top taxpayers through the years.

Laurena likewise reaffirmed IF’s strong commitment to supporting the community development programs in Manila, being the host community of ICTSI’s flagship port project, the Manila International Container Terminal. 

The sports equipment will support the school’s training in various disciplines including basketball, volleyball, athletics, lawn tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, arnis, badminton, chess and futsal, among others. These resources are expected to strengthen grassroots sports development and enhance young athletes’ competitiveness.

A highlight of the turnover is an artificial intelligence-powered robot tennis ball launcher. With this donation, RAES becomes the only public school in Manila equipped with this state-of-the-art training equipment.

The latest educational support continues the longstanding partnership between IF and RAES. In the previous years, the Foundation donated taekwondo uniforms and equipment to support the school’s martial arts program.

Beyond sports and music development, IF has also supported the school’s broader educational needs. In 2024, the Foundation donated 235 smart TVs with wall brackets, equipping all RAES classrooms with modern tools to enhance digital and interactive learning.

The school’s annexes in Parola and Isla Puting Bato have also been recipients of the Nutrition Support Program since 2023 which helps address hunger and malnutrition among young learners.

RAES is also a beneficiary of the BINHI English Literacy Project, which aims to strengthen early-grade literacy skills. 

The Sports and Music Development Assistance Project forms part of the ICTSI Foundation’s youth development initiatives, empowering young people with holistic development opportunities to reach their full potential.