What Readers Should Know
Security Bank Foundation and the Ateneo Center for Educational Development brought together 22 public school principals in Iloilo for the Year 3 Principals Training under Mentoring Future Leaders for Nation-Building. The five-day program focused on building sustained community partnerships through stakeholder mapping, workshops, case studies and peer learning. Participants developed school-specific Community…
Key Takeaways
- Twenty-two public school principals joined the training. Participants came from across the Philippines for the program in Iloilo.
- SBFI and ACED organized the initiative. It forms part of Mentoring Future Leaders for Nation-Building.
- The focus was sustained community partnership. Principals explored ways to involve parents, local leaders, alumni and other groups beyond fundraising.
- Participants developed school-specific plans. NEAP Director IV Dr. Joseph Dela Cruz guided the development of Community Engagement Plans.
- Proposed actions address reading and attendance. Examples include volunteer reading teams and a coordinated support network to reduce absenteeism.
Twenty-two public school principals from across the Philippines joined a training program in Iloilo focused on turning community support into lasting partnerships for learners.
Organized by Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI) and the Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED), the Year 3 Principals Training forms part of Mentoring Future Leaders for Nation-Building, an educator development program.
The five-day, in-person training encouraged school leaders to work more closely with parents, local officials, businesses, faith groups, volunteers and alumni. Its focus was practical: identify what learners need, understand who can help, and develop relationships that support children beyond the classroom.
Building partnerships around shared responsibility
Through stakeholder mapping, case studies, workshops and peer learning, the principals explored how trust and shared purpose can strengthen support for students.
The sessions encouraged participants to look beyond fundraising and occasional volunteer activities. Instead, they examined how community members could take sustained roles in addressing challenges such as reading difficulties and absenteeism.
For Melissa Aquino, Trustee and Corporate Secretary of SBFI, this begins with recognizing the community as a partner in a child’s development.
“The child belongs not only to the school, but to all of us,” Aquino said.
That perspective places the learner at the center of a shared effort, with schools and communities contributing different forms of support.
Turning lessons into school-specific plans
Guided by Dr. Joseph Dela Cruz, Director IV of the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP), participants developed Community Engagement Plans tailored to their schools.
The plans gave principals a way to translate the training into proposed actions, taking into account their learners’ needs and the partners available within their communities.
Two participants outlined approaches focused on reading support and school attendance.
Mobilizing volunteers to support reading
Rona May Esperanzate Cruz of Ricardo Viola Adriano Elementary School plans to bring together Sangguniang Kabataan officials, alumni, parents, religious groups and private partners through the KABSAT Learning Teams initiative.
Her proposed approach would engage community members as reading volunteers and mentors.
By identifying specific roles for partners, the initiative aims to turn willingness to help into organized support for learners.
Creating a support network to address absenteeism
At Datu Andiam National High School, Dr. Hanena Epino aims to reduce absenteeism through a network involving school personnel, peer mentors, barangays and local government partners.
The proposed approach recognizes that keeping students connected to school can require coordination beyond teachers and administrators.
Rather than treating attendance as a concern for the school alone, the plan brings different partners into the effort to support learners.
Helping principals lead beyond the campus
Although the participants’ priorities differed, the training emphasized a common responsibility: building relationships that allow communities to contribute meaningfully to education.
Through Mentoring Future Leaders for Nation-Building, SBFI and ACED are helping principals develop their ability to bring people together around school needs.
The next step lies in putting their Community Engagement Plans into practice—turning the training’s lessons into reading support, stronger attendance networks and sustained partnerships for learners.
Learn more at securitybank.com/foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the focus of the principals’ training?
It focused on helping school leaders build sustained community partnerships that support learners and address challenges beyond academics.
Who organized the program?
Security Bank Foundation, Inc. and the Ateneo Center for Educational Development organized it under Mentoring Future Leaders for Nation-Building.
Who participated, and where was it held?
Twenty-two public school principals from across the Philippines attended the five-day, in-person training in Iloilo.
What did the principals develop during the training?
They developed Community Engagement Plans tailored to their schools, with guidance from NEAP Director IV Dr. Joseph Dela Cruz.
What initiatives were proposed by participants?
Rona May Esperanzate Cruz outlined plans for reading volunteers and mentors through KABSAT Learning Teams. Dr. Hanena Epino proposed a support network involving school and community partners to address absenteeism.
Gabriel
Introvert, wanderer, blogger, foodie, a hip-hop music writer, and one of the co-founders of a tech start-up company called GigsManila.
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