The SM Group turned over a two-story, four-classroom building to Buttong Integrated School (BuIS), Laoag City on July 30, supporting the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Adopt-a-School Program.

The new school building includes fully furnished classrooms with panoramic whiteboards, wall fans, clocks, and 50 armchairs per room, including left-handed chairs. It also features a PWD-accessible restroom, flush toilets, a 10-faucet handwashing station, storage rooms, and emergency safety systems, including lights, a fire alarm bell, and ramps.

The facility also includes flush toilets, a PWD-accessible toilet, and a handwashing station with ten faucets to support hygiene practices. Safety features were integrated into the design, such as emergency lighting, a fire alarm bell system, and PWD ramps.

The classrooms will support the school’s growing learner population, which currently includes about close to 900 students and more than 30 teachers.

The project is part of a broader initiative by the SM Prime and SM Foundation to support public education infrastructure and promote accessible learning environments.

BuIS, which started as a primary school in 1916, was converted into an integrated school in 2022 following a community-led initiative backed by local barangay leaders, parents, and the DepEd. The school now serves students from Grades 1 to Junior High School and caters to learners from various nearby barangays in the area.

SM Foundation has constructed over 110 school buildings through its collaboration with SM Prime and other social good partners.