Where a child feels safe enough to dream again

At the newly rehabilitated school building of Jugan Elementary School, the walk to class is just a walk to class again: hand in hand, unhurried, nothing to fear. SM Foundation’s support has helped bring back this this quiet, ordinary safety that teachers here feared they might lose the night the earthquake struck.

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.

BACK TO REGULAR PROGRAMMING. Marcelo B. FernanPolambato Elementary School looks like an ordinary campus again; a proof of how far this community has come since the September 2025 earthquake damaged three of its buildings.

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.

“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.”

Rico believes that teaching goes beyond lessons in the classroom. The close bond teachers build with their learners naturally makes them protectors. Spending nearly eight hours together each day allows them to see more than academic performance — they also witness their students’ emotions, struggles, and the moments when a child needs extra care.

Asked if teachers see their students as their own children, Rico answered without hesitation: “Yes na yes. Malalaman mo talaga ang kailangan ng isang bata kapag may problema o kung ano ang bumabagabag sa kanya.”

A classroom full of raised hands is Teacher Benedith Pedrano’s clearest sign that fear has given way to curiosity. Months after the earthquake left her unsure the school would reopen, this ordinary science lesson is proof of how far her students have come.

Teacher Rizalyn gently helps a student with her shoe inside a bright classroom. It’s a small act of care, and one that reflects the quiet dedication teachers bring to their students, in the classroom and beyond.ww

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 July 13 — stood firm, allowing over 140 students and teachers to continue learning in a safer environment.

Rico 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 afterward was reach out to the 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,” Pedrano recalled. But aside from rebuilding physical structures, she knew another important task remained — helping children regain their confidence and sense of safety.

WHEN SPACES ARE SAFE, STUDENTS THRIVE. The hallways of Marcelo B. Fernan-Polambato Elementary School are loud with footsteps again, students moving between classes the way they did before the earthquake cracked its buildings. Safety here, made possible with SM Foundation’s support, is no longer something to hope for. It’s something students can simply live in.

Principal Mafe Morales Baladjay provides hands-on computer literacy guidance to a student at Jugan Elementary School’s DigiHub.

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 said. “When children feel protected, they gain the confidence to ask questions, express themselves, and learn without fear.”

Rico and Pedrano 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.