Aboitiz Foundation Powers Benguet School with Solar, Satellite Internet

 Bank, formally turned over a 5-kilowatt-peak (5kWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) system and a newly constructed one-classroom building to Bashoy Elementary School, a last-mile public school in the remote municipality of Kabayan

The classroom was built in collaboration with the Philippine Army, with City Savings Bank providing the construction materials, as part of the Department of Education – Cordillera Administrative Region’s (DepEd CAR) Salaknib Tan Namnama (STN) initiative. The project seeks to uplift and restore the self-worth of learners in the Cordillera who have faced difficult and challenging circumstances, particularly those whose education has long been shaped by distance, terrain, and limited access to basic services.

The Ibaloi phrase “Salaknib Tan Namnama,” which means “Protecting and Giving Hope,” reflects the shared commitment of the partners to strengthen education, resilience, and opportunity in communities where learning often happens under the most difficult conditions.

The event also marked the ceremonial turnover of additional solar PV systems for Awing Primary School and Labney Primary School, extending the impact of Aboitiz Foundation’s Aurora PH initiative to more last-mile learning communities in Benguet.

Bashoy Elementary School students, teachers, and DepEd officials celebrate the newly blessed classroom, which now features sustainable solar power and internet connectivity

Located about 80 kilometers from Baguio City and accessible only through three to four hours of travel along steep, mountainous roads, Bashoy Elementary School has long faced persistent structural challenges. Prior to the project, the school struggled with unstable electricity, limited access to digital tools, constrained classroom space, and weather-dependent logistics—conditions that hindered both teaching delivery and student learning.

With the turnover of the solar PV system and the new classroom, these barriers begin to ease. The school now benefits from reliable electricity for lighting and learning equipment, improved digital readiness, and a safer, more conducive classroom environment. Teachers are better equipped to deliver lessons using modern tools, while students gain improved conditions that support focus, engagement, and continuity of learning.

“This project reflects what becomes possible when institutions come together with a shared purpose,” said Aboitiz Foundation Impact Lead for Education Jowelle Ann Cruz. “We must continue working together to ensure that every child, regardless of geography, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. Through this donation, we are empowering last-mile learners with the tools and spaces they deserve.” 

Since its launch in 2024, AuroraPH has energized 44 schools nationwide, with a long-term goal of reaching 300 last-mile schools across the country. In Benguet, the program now serves six beneficiary schools: Bakian Guinawan Elementary School, Marcelo Marquez National High School, Piminggan Elementary School, Bashoy Elementary School, Awing Primary School, and Labney Primary School.

Through AuroraPH, Aboitiz Foundation actively supports the Department of Education’s mission to improve access to learning for last-mile schools by enabling power supply, internet connectivity, and digital readiness in geographically isolated communities.