The country’s gaming agency has allocated an additional P3-billion funding for its Matuwid na Daan sa Silid Aralan project, bringing the total funding for its school-building program to P10 billion.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) said this is in line with the Aquino administration’s school-building program. The agency released the P3-billion additional funding to the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The event coincided with the inauguration and formal turnover of two new school buildings at the Tarlac National High School in Tarlac City on April 17, witnessed by President Aquino.
Pagcor Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat Jr. said the additional amount will ensure that more public schools in far-flung communities will have new classrooms. “We embarked on this project almost five years ago, bearing in mind President Aquino’s directive to us to help address the basic problems of the education sector, like the lack of classrooms,” Naguiat said.
“The P10-billion allocation for the school-building project is the biggest funding ever in the history of the agency for a single project,” he added.
Under Naguiat’s leadership, Pagcor took on a huge commitment to build thousands of classrooms to benefit a myriad of students. Unlike the previous management, which did not build a single learning facility, Naguiat said his administration prioritized programs to improve the learning conditions of public-school children.
“This is our biggest legacy to the Filipino youth, to provide a comfortable and healthy environment that will encourage students to study even more. We will continue to do our share with the valuable help of the DepEd and the Dpwh,” Naguiat said.
Under the school-building program, the DepEd identifies the public schools which are in need of new classrooms, while the DPWH handles the construction of these classrooms.
Out of almost 4,500 classrooms being built under the first P7-billion funding, about 1,124 in 239 sites had been completed, while the rest are under construction. To date, Pagcor’s school-building project has reached even far-flung communities across the country, including Tawi-Tawi, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, Catanduanes, Palawan, Bukidnon, Masbate, Compostela Valley, and Bogo City and Bantayan Island in Cebu.
Meanwhile, close to 1,300 typhoon-resilient classrooms are being constructed in over 300 sites in Supertyphoon Yolanda-devastated areas. The classrooms, which can cost up to P1.6 million each, are more expensive compared to typical classrooms because they are designed to withstand strong typhoons and floods.
Building the classrooms in far-flung areas would also entail bigger cost because the materials need to be transported to these remote communities.
Unlike many old learning facilities, the Pagcor-funded classrooms are more spacious, measuring 7×9 meters which is bigger compared to the typical 6×7 meters to 7×8 meters classrooms. The classrooms also have higher ceilings and are elevated to accommodate up to 60 students with still ample space to move around.
Other major features of the school buildings include storage rooms, a stage, walkway and wheelchair access for disabled students. For multistory buildings, separate comfort rooms for boys and girls are provided. The school-buildings funded by the agency also have a concrete gutter with parafet and an iconic architectural design. Public Works Secretary Rogelio L. Singson said the additional classrooms funded by the extra P3 billion will augment the classroom requirements for K to 12.
“Since multistory buildings ang mga tinatayo, they are ideal for higher years [senior high school]. Magaganda ang design ng Pagcor school buildings kaya marami ang pumupuri dito,” Singson said. During the turnover of the P3-billion school fund, President Aquino also inaugurated the 30 new classrooms, composed of two units of three-story, 15-classroom buildings, donated by the government to Tarlac National High School (TNHS) main and its annex in Tarlac City on April 17.
President Aquino was joined by Naguiat, Education Secretary Bro. Armin A. Luistro, FSC, Singson, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Secretary Joel Villanueva. Local government officials also joined the President in turning over the classrooms to the 112-year-old school, which is reputed to be the oldest public high school in the country and the biggest in Region 3 in terms of area and student population.
The 30 new classrooms would help decongest the overpopulated school, which currently has a population of roughly 10,000 students. School Principal Dr. Yolanda Gonzales thanked the gaming agency for providing their students with more improved school facilities.
“No doubt, these school buildings would be essential in ensuring our students’ quality education as they now have additional classrooms that are ideal for learning. Maraming, maraming salamat po sa Pagcor sa pagtugon sa aming pangangailangan para sa karagdagang mga silid-aralan,” Gonzales said. Pagcor has built 88 classrooms in 12 sites, while 48 in six sites are under construction in the province of Tarlac alone.
Image credits: Pagcor photo