How safer classrooms are restoring peace of mind in Cebu
A Space to Learn, Grow and Thrive: The newly turned-over school building at Marcelo B. Fernan-Polambato Elementary School opens its doors to young learners, bringing modern classrooms and renewed hope for the local community.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF SM
Teacher III Rizalyn Rico guides a student during a class activity inside the newly rehabilitated building at Jugan Elementary School. The safer, more resilient learning space, supported by SM Foundation, gives teachers and learners greater confidence as they return to their daily routines following the 2025 earthquake.
Teacher Benedith Pedrano and her students engage with hands-on educational models inside the well-equipped science laboratory at the newly rehabilitated building at Marcelo B. Fernan-Polambato ES.
Students eagerly raise their hands to answer a question during one of their math lectures.
Students fill the hallways of the newly renovated two-story school building supported by SM Foundation, returning to their classrooms with a renewed sense of security and confidence after the September 2025 Cebu earthquake.
Principal Mafe Morales Baladjay (center) with some students in front of the newly rehabilitated two-story, four classroom building of Jugan ES.
Classrooms are where dreams take shape and where a child feels safe enough to imagine a better future.
That sense of security was put to the test when a powerful earthquake struck Cebu in September 2025. While many families worried about their homes, two teachers from different public elementary schools shared another concern, protecting their students in the midst of uncertainty.
At Jugan Elementary School, Teacher III Rizalyn Rico remembers the fear that came with the earthquake. Although it struck at night, when students were safely at home, Rizalyn could not help but think about what might have happened had it occurred during class hours.
“Ang takot na hindi ko sila mailigtas silang lahat,” she shared. For her, the thought of not being able to protect every child was one of the hardest fears to face. “Parang dapat superwoman ka kasi ikaw lang iyong aasahan nila na magliligtas sa kanila.”
Following the earthquake, teachers and students at Jugan Elementary School were relieved that the two-story, four-classroom building donated by SM Foundation Inc. remained standing. While other structures on campus sustained damage, the same donated building, now freshly rehabilitated and officially turned over on 13 July, stood firm, allowing over 140 students and teachers to continue learning in a safer environment.
She describes the renewed learning environment as “mapayapa” or peaceful. Knowing that students can study without worrying about damaged structures gives both teachers and learners the confidence to focus on what truly matters — education.
Meanwhile, at Marcelo B. Fernan-Polambato Elementary
School, Teacher III Benedith J. Pedrano, who also experienced the earthquake from home, shared that the first thing she did after the earthquake was reach out to families of her students and check if every child was safe.
“Ito ang dala-dala ko pa rin na responsibilidad at pagmamalasakit sa aking mga mag-aaral,” she shared.
When she eventually saw the condition of the school, the damage was heartbreaking. The classrooms that once carried laughter, lessons, and dreams had been affected by the disaster.
“It felt like my heart also collapsed when I saw the school,” Benedith recalled. But aside from rebuilding physical structures, she knew another important task remained which is to help children regain their confidence and sense of safety.
Through the rehabilitation of three school buildings, including a total of 16 classrooms supported by SM Foundation, the school slowly regained its purpose as a place of learning and hope.
Benedith says that seeing hundreds of students return to safer classrooms represented “pag-asa” or hope.
She saw children becoming more cheerful, confident, and eager to participate in class. With a brighter and safer learning environment, students could focus less on fear and more on discovering their abilities.
“A safe classroom is the foundation of quality education,” she shared. “When children feel protected, they gain the confidence to ask questions, express themselves and learn without fear.”
Rizalyn and Benedith remind us that teachers do far more than teach lessons. They nurture, protect, and inspire, giving children the confidence to learn, dream and thrive.
When classrooms are built to withstand disasters, they become more than places of learning. They become spaces where teachers and students feel safe enough to build a better future together.
