The beginning of a new school year marks a new chapter for Filipino schoolchildren eager to learn, grow, and have a brighter future.

For many communities, however, the excitement of a new school year comes with challenges, including the lack of safe and resilient spaces conducive to learning, limited access to basic amenities and learning materials, and class disruptions caused by natural disasters.

The GMA Kapuso Foundation, the socio-civic arm of GMA Network, provides support to Filipino schoolchildren in underserved communities through its education projects, Unang Hakbang sa Kinabukasan and the Kapuso School Development Project.

Unang Hakbang sa Kinabukasan (UHSK) provides 60,000 customized school bags and complete sets of school supplies to incoming Kindergarten and Grade 1 students in public elementary schools nationwide. Each beneficiary receives a backpack with built-in pencil case containing five notebooks, two pad papers, two pencils, a sharpener, an eraser, and a set of crayons (16 pcs.).

In 2026, GMAKF launched its UHSK initiative in the province of Aurora, which was placed under a State of Calamity following the severe devastation caused by Typhoon Uwan in November 2025.

A total of 3,000 school children from 64 public schools in Dilasag, Dinalungan, Dingalan, and Casiguran received a school bag and a complete set of school supplies.

The program also benefited close to 15,000 schoolchildren in the communities affected by the recent typhoons, including Pangasinan (Typhoon Emong); Iligan (Typhoon Basyang); and Negros Oriental and Occidental (Typhoon Tino).

Through the Unang Hakbang sa Kinabukasan, GMAKF aims to provide 60,000 schoolchildren nationwide with school bags and school supplies in 2026.