The Philippines has the highest risk of natural disasters out of every country in the world. As a result, ongoing financial issues and cyclical poverty have led to a growing educational gap. While Filipino students from high-income families residing in major cities often have access to well-performing private schools, those in lower-income areas grapple with overcrowded classrooms, shortages of teachers, and inadequate resources. Consequently, a 2018 study revealed that among 79 countries, 15-year-old Filipino students ranked at the bottom in reading comprehension.

The advent of COVID-19 has presented fresh challenges and exacerbated disparities in the quality of education among different social groups, effectively turning education into a status symbol. Public schools funded by the government find themselves unable to offer adequate physical space for students and the essential resources required to maintain a seamless and consistent learning experience. 

This summer, HXP Builders will help combat the ongoing issues of education deficit and poverty by adding sanitation and nutrition facilities at a local school. A classroom, handwashing station (doubling the amount of sinks and sanitation facilities) along with a nutritional center will be added to local schools. The school at which HXP Builders will serve currently has over 3,000 students enrolled with only 10 sinks. The resources added by Builders will not only improve the Builders’ ability to learn but also their sanitation and overall health.