Press release

Sun Life Foundation’s Tulong Eskwela Program Bags Quill Award

Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc. (Sun Life Foundation) was honored in the recent Philippine Quill Awards for Tulong Eskwela, a program jointly mounted with AHA! Learning Center (AHA!) to help teachers, students, and parents pivot towards distance and hybrid learning setup, especially at the height of the pandemic.

Winning for its objective-focused strategic alignment both in creativity and measurable results, the Tulong Eskwela program comprises a series of training designed to equip teachers with affordable and accessible tools to help them conduct their classes. Through this initiative, teachers were able to mount Facebook Messenger-based classes, where the students can log in and do schoolwork using the devices they have on hand. During its initial phase, up to 55,000 teachers completed Tulong Eskwela’s training sessions, enabling them to better conduct classes amid unfamiliar conditions.

Extending its reach, Tulong Eskwela likewise provided trainings for parents on how to facilitate the learning of their children albeit offline or in the absence of a teacher and internet connectivity.

Tulong Eskwela benefited thousands of teachers, students, and parents as it became an avenue for them to engage with one another specifically for school and learning matters. This was especially important when the education sector had to rush the implementation of distance and hybrid learning so that students can continue school while staying at home to keep themselves safe from the onslaught of the COVID-19 virus.

“Anchored in education and aligned with the Sun Life Foundation’s thrust for holistic health, Tulong Eskwela envisions to narrow the digital divide and provide learning opportunities for Filipino students everywhere,” says Alex Narciso, President of the Sun Life Foundation and Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc. “We are deeply honored to be recognized in the Philippine Quill Awards. It serves as a reminder that despite the challenges, the ripples of our humble contribution resonate far and wide to help build a better brighter future for our nation.”

The Sun Life Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sun Life Philippines that strives to uplift communities as part of its commitment to sustainability. Other notable projects include Sun Pera-Aralan, a financial management program that helps public school teachers manage their finances, and Sun Life Barangay Health Stations, which provides basic healthcare in remote areas in Batangas.