Provinces
to undertake school building projects
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LPP
EVP Gov. Tomas Joson III informs the NEB on the recent
development of his negotiations with DepEd to allow
the LGUs to undertake the schoolbuilding program at
a lower cost than that of DPWH. Watching on are LPP
Chair Gov.Chavit Singson and LPP President Gov. Erico
Aumentado. |
School
buildings cost less to construct when undertaken by the LGUs.
Gov. Tomas N. Joson earlier made representations with the
Department of Education and the Department of Public Works
and Highways relative to the national government’s school
building program, with the possibility of allowing the provincial
governments to take over the construction of school buildings
in order to enhance the utilization of the limited funds.
During the last National Executive Board meeting, Joson reported
that during his meetings with DepEd officials, he learned
that for 2006, national government’s budget for the
School Building Program is good for 6,000 classrooms. The
backlog is pegged at 40,000.
Joson
said that if the provincial governments are allowed to undertake
the construction of the school buildings, they could construct
700 to 800 more at the same cost it would take for the DPWH
to build the 6,000 classrooms.
During its general assembly on February 3, the LPP is expected
to enter into a MOA with the DepEd and DPWH that would allow
the provincial government to directly undertake the school
building program in lieu of the DPWH.
Apart from implementing and undertaking the construction of
the school buildings in their respective areas of jurisdiction,
each of the 79 the provincial governments will be committing
to increase the number of classrooms by 30, using local funds
for it, and equipping the same with all the necessary facilities,
such as restrooms, electrical wirings, paintings, desks/chairs,
tables and blackboards.
In order to further bring down the backlog in the number of
school buildings, two other LGU leagues – the League
of Cities and League of Municipalities, have counted themselves
in on the project.
The LCP and LMP have agreed to appropriate funds for the construction
of additional classrooms in their respective jurisdictions,
with the city governments providing for 40 additional classrooms
in every city and the municipal governments providing for
one additional classroom in every municipality. (angelica
j. sanchez)
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