Our family’s organic vinegar enterprise, Sorsogon Foods Enterprises (SFE), and through the help of the UST High School Batch ’68, has finally finished constructing the kindergarten building of San Rafael Elementary School, Bulan, Sorsogon in September 2016. We first saw the poor state of the children’s classroom in 2013, and it didn’t take a lot to realize that it was not a conducive place for teaching and learning. More than anything, it was a space that could jeopardize the everyday safety of the students as you can see in the attached pictures.

In December 2015 when Typhoon Nona struck, Bulan was a disaster zone where almost all infrastructure in the town of San Rafael were destroyed, including the kindergarten classroom. While everything was in shambles, it was the Bicolano spirit that kept the community going so they could rebuild their lives after this great tragedy.
We were able to construct the new kindergarten building (pictures attached) with the contributions of USTHS Batch’68, and it is now a spacious and safe environment where the students and teachers can focus on learning.

Our family would personally like to thank the USTHS Batch ’68 for their generous donation. Through all our efforts, we have helped build the cornerstone of the students’ education, safety, and future.

Entrance to San Rafael Elementary School

Newly built Kindergarten school building.

Turnover and blessing of the new school building.

Kindergartners in their old room.

Old Kindergartner classroom