SBFI Chairman Rafael Simpao Jr. (11th from left, top row) and Security Bank EVP and Branch Banking Group Head Leslie Cham (10th from left, top row) with Zamboanga City High School Main (ZCHSM) faculty members and students during the classroom turnover ceremony.
Zamboanga City — A milestone two decades in the making has found its newest home in Mindanao. Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI) has officially turned over its 900th classroom nationwide—a two-storey, six-classroom Technical-Livelihood Education (TLE) building—to Zamboanga City High School Main (ZCHSM), expanding opportunities for hands-on, skills-based learning for thousands of public school students.
More than just a number, the 900-classroom mark underscores the Foundation’s sustained commitment to strengthening public school infrastructure across the Philippines. Each classroom represents not only brick and mortar, but a renewed promise that students—wherever they are—deserve safe, functional, and inspiring spaces to learn.
Purpose-built for practical training, the new TLE building features dedicated laboratory spaces for caregiving, dressmaking, drafting, cookery, and other skills-focused programs. These facilities are designed to give students real-world exposure, equipping them with competencies that can lead directly to employment, entrepreneurship, or further technical education.
The addition is particularly significant for ZCHSM, one of the largest public secondary schools in the region. The school serves more than 8,000 students across over 200 class sections, operating with 136 existing classrooms. With enrollment steadily high, the need for specialized learning spaces has long been felt.
Leading the turnover ceremony, SBFI Chairman Rafael Simpao Jr. described the moment as both celebratory and deeply meaningful. “This 900th classroom is not just a milestone for the Foundation, but a testament to the countless students and educators who continue to persevere despite limitations,” he said. “Zamboanga City has been part of our journey since we built our 100th classroom here in 2014. We are honored to be able to continue building alongside the community.”
For Dr. Anna Bella Espinosa, Principal of ZCHSM, the building directly addresses a long-standing challenge. “Our biggest challenge was never the number of learners—it was finding enough spaces where meaningful learning could happen,” she shared. “TLE subjects demand laboratories where students can practice skills with dignity and safety. This building finally allows our learners to experience what quality, hands-on education truly looks like.”
With 900 classrooms now built, SBFI’s footprint spans 153 public schools across 92 cities and municipalities, improving learning environments for more than 40,000 students annually. As the Foundation continues to expand its reach, the Zamboanga milestone signals that the journey is far from over—each new classroom a foundation for futures still being built.