Partnership brings 15 Temporary Learning Spaces and Edukahon Kits to children affected by the June 2026 earthquake

In times of disaster, recovery means more than rebuilding homes and infrastructure. It also means helping children return to learning, restoring a sense of normalcy, and giving communities the support they need to move forward.

Carrying forward its 60-year commitment to community resilience, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) has granted ₱6 million to the Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc. (CLAFI) to support education and humanitarian assistance for communities affected by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Southern Mindanao in June 2026.

The grant forms part of a partnership between RAFI and CLAFI anchored on a shared commitment to providing timely, effective, and accountable humanitarian assistance to affected communities and strengthening disaster response and recovery efforts.

Through the grant, 15 Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) will be established across earthquake-affected areas—five in General Santos, five in Sarangani, and five in South Cotabato. The spaces will provide children with safer and more conducive environments to resume their education while their communities continue to recover.

The initiative will also provide 15 Edukahon Kits, containing learning materials and essential items such as survival kits, devices, and chairs to help children continue learning despite the disruption caused by the disaster.

Keeping Children Learning, Even in Crisis

For RAFI, supporting communities in times of crisis is part of a six-decade commitment to building resilience.

For 60 years, RAFI has worked alongside communities and partners in responding to disasters, providing relief and recovery assistance while helping communities rebuild. Over time, this work has reinforced the importance of looking beyond immediate relief and investing in the conditions that allow communities to recover and thrive.

Education is central to that work.

When disasters strike, classrooms can be damaged, families displaced, and children’s education interrupted. Temporary learning spaces provide more than a venue for lessons. They offer children a safe space to regain routine, reconnect with their peers, and continue learning while recovery is underway.

“While today marks the formalization of our partnership, our shared commitment began with a common concern for the communities affected by the Southern Mindanao earthquake. In times like these, recovery is strongest when organizations come together and contribute what they can in service of others.

Through this partnership, we hope to help create safe learning spaces for children and provide meaningful support to communities as they rebuild and move forward. More importantly, we hope this collaboration reflects the spirit of solidarity, compassion, and shared responsibility that disaster response calls for,” Amaya A. Fansler, RAFI President and CEO said during the ceremonial signing.

The partnership with CLAFI highlights the value of collective action in responding to complex community needs. By bringing together resources, expertise, and networks, the two foundations aim to strengthen the reach, efficiency, and impact of humanitarian response and recovery initiatives in Southern Mindanao. As RAFI marks 60 years of working with communities, it continues to carry this commitment into the future: not simply to respond when disaster strikes, but to stand with communities through recovery and help build their capacity to be resilient for the challenges ahead.