Even public school students and teachers are pitching in to build more classrooms for public schools under the “The Entire Nation (TEN) Moves” campaign spearheaded by the private sector. The target: build 10,000 classrooms all over the country from a P10 peso-donation a day from two million donors for 10 months.

TEN Moves cash donations and pledges as of June 20 total to P 18.3 million.

Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC said the Ayala Foundation, on behalf of the 57-75 Education Reform Movement, has released part of the funds to the Philippine Business for Social Progress for the construction of a two-storey, four-classroom school building at the Indahag National High School in Cagayan de Oro. Another two-storey, four-classroom school building will be funded by TEN Moves at the Angelico Medina Memorial Elementary School in Iligan. Both schools are located near relocation sites for evacuees of Typhoon Sendong in December 2011.

Bayanihang Pampaaralan, the mother campaign of TEN Moves, reports that the total number of classrooms pledged as of May 31 counts to 2,741 classrooms, of which 880 have already been built.

Luistro said some 17 public elementary and secondary schools including the University of the Philippines - College of Education have started the bandwagon of pooling resources to build more classrooms.

“These students and teachers have come up with novel ways of pooling resources, driven by the spirit to help one another by building classrooms for others,” Luistro added.

In one of the collection schemes, some seven teachers and 150 students drop their loose change from their baon (allowance) in a tin can everyday. “Mapalad kami at may mga nadating sa aming resources so we share, kasi nakikita naman natin sa news na madaming school ang nangangailangan talaga,” said Lorrain Sangalang, principal of Suqui Elementary School in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.

In Pinagkawitan National High School in Lipa, Batangas, TEN Moves coordinator Joan Lonina said they agreed to collect every month from the faculty and school staff who were divided into three groups, each with five to six members. “Kinakailangan po talagang magtulungan kaya okay ang TEN Moves!,” she said.