TELUS Digital marks fifth year in Iloilo with school refurbishment

TELUS Digital Philippines marked its fifth year in Iloilo by refurbishing Mandurriao National High School (MNHS), with more than 240 company volunteers working to improve classrooms and campus facilities.

The activity was held Sept. 12 under the company’s TELUS Days of Giving (TDOG) initiative in support of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Brigada Eskwela program.

Volunteers from the company’s Iloilo City and Pavia sites repainted 15 classrooms, seven hallways, and five staircases and restored more than 180 student chairs.

MNHS Supreme Secondary Learner Government President Aleiyah Therese L. Arcedas said the improvements would benefit current learners as well as future students who will use the refurbished facilities.

“Through your efforts, you have not only repaired classrooms but also inspired hope and encouraged learning. These improvements will help students focus on their studies and pursue their dreams with confidence,” Arcedas said.

Aside from the refurbishment work, the company also conducted a digital literacy session for 30 high school students focused on online safety and responsible social media use.

DepEd Region VI Regional Director Cristito A. Eco said partnerships with the private sector and other stakeholders remain important in addressing the needs of schools.

The initiative comes amid continuing concerns over the country’s classroom shortage.

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

The shortage is also being felt in Western Visayas, where the DepEd-6 reported a deficit of 6,437 classrooms in 2025.

The regional shortage has forced some public school teachers to hold classes in covered courts and makeshift rooms or adopt shifting schedules to accommodate learners.

Based on the Regional Classroom Master Plan, Antique had the largest deficit at 2,372 classrooms, followed by Iloilo province with 1,844, Iloilo City with 482, Capiz with 465, Aklan with 437, Guimaras with 434, Roxas City with 311, and Passi City with 92.

Learning outcomes also remain a concern, with international assessments showing persistent challenges among learners in reading, mathematics, and science.

Meanwhile, Jonabee Catura, senior director and Iloilo site lead of TELUS Digital Philippines, said company employees see volunteer work as a way of strengthening their connection with the community.

“For us, 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,” Catura said.

“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,” she added.

Rajiv M. Dhand, senior vice president of Global Customer Experience and Trust & Safety Operations at TELUS Digital, said the activity allowed employees to contribute their time and effort directly to the communities where they work.

Since 2021, 780 TELUS Digital volunteers in Iloilo have contributed more than 3,780 volunteer hours to Brigada Eskwela activities across the province.

The company has also supported local initiatives involving education, health, and underserved communities through the TELUS Digital Philippines Community Board.