Building Classrooms, One Bottle at a Time: SM Joins Generation HOPE Campaign

 SM Supermalls is proud to partner with HOPE and the Department of Education for Generation Hope—a collaborative campaign that transforms everyday consumer purchases into tangible support for Filipino students by helping build classrooms across the country.

Launched on May 26, 2025, at Samsung Hall in SM Aura, the initiative brings together a coalition of brands, including SM Supermalls, BDO, Aivee, Carmen’s Best, Grab, Penshoppe, and Sunnies, united in a shared goal: to bridge the country’s classroom gap.

Ms. Nanette Medved-Po and Mr. Steven Tan assemble puzzle pieces at the Generation HOPE launch, symbolizing SM’s support in building classrooms for Filipino students.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara and HOPE Founder Nanette Medved-Po join representatives from seven brand partners in a united show of support to build classrooms and uplift Filipino education.

 

In addition to SM Foundation’s long-standing efforts—having built 110 school buildings with 374 classrooms—SM Supermalls is further extending its commitment to education by supporting Generation HOPE’s Build a Classroom Project, which aims to construct 10 new public school classrooms, funded in part through the sale of specially branded SM Bottled Water. Every purchase directly contributes to the classroom fund—empowering customers to be part of a nationwide solution.

“At SM, we believe that investing in education is investing in the future,” said Steven Tan, President of SM Supermalls. “Through this partnership, we hope to empower the next generation of Filipino students by creating safe, inclusive spaces where they can learn, grow, and thrive.”

“We are grateful to our partners for joining us in turning everyday actions—like buying bottled water—into lasting change,” said Nanette Medved-Po, Founder of HOPE. 

“Generation Hope is a reflection of our commitment to make quality education accessible to all,” said Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara.

 

This partnership aligns with SM Cares’ advocacy for children and youth empowerment, and invites every Filipino to make a difference, one bottle at a time.

Every bottle makes a difference—by choosing SM Bottled Water, customers directly contribute to building much-needed classrooms for Filipino students across the country. Start making an impact today by picking up a bottle at any SM mall and be part of the movement to empower education, one sip at a time.

HOPE Launches Generation HOPE with Filipino Brands to Address Classroom Shortage

 HOPE, the Philippines’ first certified B Corp and a pioneering impact organization, launches Generation HOPE—a partnership with the country’s most beloved brands to help address the urgent need of building more public school classrooms nationwide. 

This initiative brings together the country's most beloved brands, such as BDO, Carmen’s Best, Grab, Penshoppe, Aivee Clinic, SM Supermalls, and Sunnies, to enable every Filipino to vote with their peso to support nation-building through the building of public school classrooms. Together, these purpose-driven companies and their consumers share a vision to close the education gap and make sure every Filipino child has a safe, comfortable place to learn.

HOPE Founder Ms. Nanette Medved-Po and DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara place a puzzle piece on the HOPE Wall—a symbolic gesture of partnership and shared commitment to building a brighter future for public school students across the Philippines.

 

Launched in partnership with the Philippines’ Department of Education (DepEd), Generation HOPE was unveiled with the support of HOPE Founder Nanette Medved-Po, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, and the participation of representatives from DepEd and all the brand partners.

HOPE Founder Ms. Nanette Medved-Po speaks about the Generation HOPE campaign and its mission to bring together communities, partners, and everyday consumers to support public school education in the Philippines.

 

“Filipinos always come together in times of need. In a world that is increasingly divided, let's harness that power every day to support something we can all agree on: investing in the youth of this country to build a nation and ensure a brighter future,” says HOPE Founder Ms. Nanette Medved-Po.

 

To bring this vision to life, HOPE and its partner brands have created unique ways for Filipinos to enjoy being part of this movement.

Generation HOPE is a partnership between HOPE, the Department of Education, and beloved Filipino brands BDO, Carmen’s Best, Grab, Penshoppe, Aivee Clinic, SM Supermalls, and Sunnies. In the photo are (from left) Grab Philippines Country Head Ronald Roda, BDO Unibank Senior Executive Vice President and Head of the Consumer Banking Group Rolando Tanchanco, Sunnies Studios Co-founder and Head of Product Development Bea Soriano-Dee, SM Investments Corporation Vice Chairwoman Teresita Sy-Coson, Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, HOPE Founder Nanette Medved-Po, HOPE Board Member Tootsy Angara, SM Supermalls President Steven Tan, The Aivee Group Founder and President Aivee Teo, Golden ABC President and Chief Executive Officer Alice Liu, and Metro Pacific Agro Ventures Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Jovy Hernandez.

 

BDO customers will soon be able to own a BDO “HOPE in Every Spend” credit card, and a portion of their spend using the credit card will automatically be donated to building public schools. More than that, they can convert their Rewards points into donations, and a portion of the annual membership fee will also be donated to HOPE.

 

Carmen’s Best is preparing limited-edition offerings—Hope in a Scoop and Hope in a Pint—that blend indulgence with impact. 

Grab users will have the option to use GrabRewards points to support classroom construction and make donations. 

 

Aivee Clinic will introduce the Aivee x HOPE collection, featuring limited edition items like bags and tags, along with specially designed Skin Bank cards for the cause.

 

Penshoppe is launching an exclusive line of HOPE-themed t-shirts, hoodies, caps, and bags. 

SM Supermalls will donate a portion of sales from SM-branded water bottles sold at partner food merchants. 

Sunnies will unveil a clean lens kit and specially designed Sunnies Flask for this collaboration.

Each product from the partnership offers a simple, tangible way to help build a better future through education. 

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara talks about how the Generation HOPE campaign helps address the classroom shortage in public schools, strengthening the foundation of quality education for Filipino students.

 

Working closely with DepEd, HOPE ensures that every classroom built directly addresses the most urgent needs of public schools across the country. 

 

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara highlights the importance of collaboration in this cause. He said, “Education is not just a duty, it’s a solemn responsibility we all share. When the government and the private sector unite through partnerships like Generation HOPE, we break down barriers and pave the way for every Filipino child to learn in a safe and inspiring environment. Education is how we secure the future of our nation.”

 

For more information, please visit https://www.generationhope.ph/ or follow HOPE on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/generationhope.ph or @generationhope.ph on Instagram for more updates.