TELUS Digital Philippines refurbishes 52-year-old Iloilo school

More than 240 volunteers from TELUS Digital Philippines recently joined efforts to refurbish Mandurriao National High School, improving classrooms and campus facilities for more than 3,200 students as the company marks its fifth year in the region.

The initiative was held under the company’s TELUS Days of Giving (TDOG) program in support of the Department of Education’s Brigada Eskwela program. It brought together team members from TELUS Digital Philippines’ Strata and Pavia sites.

Volunteers worked on three school buildings, repainting 15 classrooms, seven hallways and five staircases and restoring more than 180 student chairs. The 52-year-old school serves more than 3,200 students and 160 teachers.

The activity also included a TELUS Wise digital literacy session attended by 30 high school students, who learned practical ways to stay safe online and become more responsible users of social media.

“For us in Iloilo, volunteerism is about truly being part of the community. Our team members live and work here, so being able to contribute to a school that serves thousands of students makes the impact feel very immediate and personal,” said Jonabee Catura, senior director and Iloilo site lead of TELUS Digital Philippines.

“Even though we’re here for one day, the spaces we help improve, and the opportunities they create for students, help serve the community for much longer,” Catura added.

The Philippines is facing an estimated 165,000-classroom shortage, with the gap projected to grow by another 58,000 to 81,000 classrooms by 2040, according to the company.

Learning outcomes also remain a concern, with international assessments pointing to persistent challenges in reading, mathematics and science across the country.

Brigada Eskwela brings together schools, communities, private organizations and volunteers to improve school facilities and create more supportive learning environments for students and teachers.

“Volunteerism creates a different kind of connection between an organization and the communities where it operates,” said Rajiv M. Dhand, senior vice president of global customer experience and trust and safety operations at TELUS Digital.

“It’s our team stepping out from behind their desks to give something real: their time, their hands, their hearts. In Iloilo, that meant transforming the spaces where students learn, and helping young people build the skills and confidence to thrive in an increasingly digital world. This is who we are, and we couldn’t be prouder,” Dhand added.

Since 2021, 780 TELUS Digital team member volunteers in Iloilo have contributed more than 3,780 volunteer hours to Brigada Eskwela activities, helping improve learning environments for students across the province.

Through the TELUS Digital Philippines Community Board, the company has also supported initiatives focused on education, health services and opportunities for underserved communities in Iloilo.

These include support for the Walk and Work Foundation Inc. in providing assistive devices and educational support for children and youth with disabilities; the Center for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development in bringing basic health services to underserved farming communities in Passi City; and the University of San Agustin Research and Development Foundation Inc. in advancing culturally responsive, play-based learning for children in Indigenous Schools of Living Tradition in Iloilo and Antique.

The partnership with the University of San Agustin Research and Development Foundation was recognized with the Outstanding CSR Project for Education award from the League of Corporate Foundations in June.

The company said its TELUS Days of Giving and Community Board initiatives seek to strengthen its engagement with communities where its team members live and work.