News

Citibank launches the SAS Reading Program in Pasig City

"Dress the Character" activity during the Teacher Training Workshop

A total of 72 educators from Dela Paz Elem. School. Manggahan Elem. School, Napico Elem. School, Rosario Elem. School, San Lorenzo Elem. School, Santolan Elem. School and Sto. Nino Elem. School in Pasig City have committed to dedicate one hour of each of the 31 school days for reading and reading activities with the aim to build the love and habit of reading in their students. Their conviction was born out of their active participation in a comprehensive 2-day Teacher Training Workshop held on July 3 & 4 that not only refreshed previous knowledge on reading, but also introduced new theories and enjoyable strategies on how to teach reading to schoolchildren to truly engage them and develop higher thinking skills.

On July 13, 2009, the Citi - SAS Reading Program was launched in simple ceremonies at Rosario Elementary School attended by Citi Country Corporate Affairs Director Lillibeth V. Fajardo, Asst. Vice President for Corporate Affairs Mai Gacilo Sangalang and SAS Executive Director Coly Los Banos. In her message, School Division Superintendent for Pasig Dr. Florentina R. Lizano expressed her heartfelt gratitude and recognized Citi's unrelenting support to public elementary schools, pointing out that Citi had sponsored the SAS Reading Program in all nine public elementary schools in San Juan in 2006, when San Juan and Pasig were considered one school district. Assistant Schools Division Superintendent for Pasig Dr. Joselita A. Gutierrez on the other hand guaranteed their support to SAS' vision, which is to build a nation of readers.

Citi Philippines has been a steadfast partner of Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation, having sponsored the SAS Reading Program since 2006 in a total of 17 schools in San Juan City and Cebu City, bringing the joys and wonders of reading to over 10,000 schoolchildren to date.