With public schools across the country still facing classroom shortages, more than 230 TELUS Digital Philippines volunteers helped R.G. Hechanova Memorial National High School in Iloilo to upgrade its facilities and to enhance students’ digital literacy. The initiative, part of TELUS Days of Giving (TDOG) in support of Brigada Eskwela, created safer and more comfortable learning environments for students by repainting classrooms, refurbishing chairs, and renovating changing rooms, while also hosting a digital literacy session to help students navigate AI and social media more safely and confidently in digital spaces.
Founded in 1984, the high school had classrooms and facilities showing wear and disrepair, making it difficult for students to focus and participate fully. Volunteers painted 14 classrooms, seven hallways, and four staircases, refurbished 40 chairs, and completed construction on separate male and female changing rooms to provide safer spaces for physical education and extracurricular activities.
Ahead of the volunteer day, skilled professionals completed major repairs to ceilings, doors, and electrical switches, and repainted grills, ensuring the classrooms and hallways were ready for immediate use.
“The efforts to rebuild our facilities, renovate both the Senior and Junior High School buildings, and brighten our surroundings, has truly made a lasting impact on our school and on us, the students,” said Lorraine, high school student and student government president from R.G. Hechanova Memorial National High School. “We’ve been reminded of what’s possible when people come together with purpose and heart. They didn’t just build walls; they helped build hope.”
Alongside the renovations, TELUS Digital volunteers conducted a TELUS Wise® session with 30 high school students, covering digital literacy, responsible social media use, and safe navigation of AI-powered platforms. TELUS Wise is a free digital literacy education program that helps people of all ages build the skills to protect themselves online and use technology responsibly. Some teachers from the school, as well as community leaders from the barangay, also joined the volunteer day to lend support and work alongside team members.
“We want students to be confident, responsible, and safe digital citizens,” said Anne Muñoz, Country Vice President of TELUS Digital Philippines. “Seeing students sit on refurbished chairs, explore freshly painted classrooms, and participate in the TELUS Wise workshop reminds us that even small improvements can spark curiosity and confidence. Every classroom we help revitalize is a space where young minds can focus, learn, and imagine new possibilities.”
The TDOG initiative brought together TELUS Digital team members from Strata and Pavia sites, volunteer teachers, community leaders, and partners, including Catch 21, United Architects of the Philippines, No One in Need Movement, and MFC Singles. This collective effort demonstrates how businesses, community groups, and local residents can work together to address pressing educational needs.
“Supporting students isn’t just about fresh paint and new desks – it’s about igniting possibilities,” said Rajiv M.Dhand, Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific and Africa at TELUS Digital. “When we invest in their learning environments, we’re really investing in their dreams. We’re showing them that they matter, that their futures are bright, and that they have what it takes to thrive in our digital world. That’s the magic of TELUS Days of Giving, we don’t just transform schools, we transform lives, and that impact ripples through communities for generations to come.”
Since 2014, TELUS Digital Philippines has supported Brigada Eskwela, contributing over 100,000 volunteer hours nationwide. Earlier this year, the company held a similar initiative in Metro Manila, benefiting T. Paez Elementary School and T. Paez Integrated School, improving learning spaces for more than 7,800 students.
Through these collaborative efforts, students at R.G. Hechanova Memorial National High School now have safer, more inspiring learning spaces and the digital skills to navigate an increasingly connected world. This initiative reflects TELUS Digital Philippines’ sustained commitment to empowering communities through education, technology, and meaningful partnerships that create lasting positive change.
