BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera office of the Department of Education (DepEd-CAR) acquired more than PhP1.2 billion over the past three years to complete various school projects in the different parts of the region towards enhancing the learning environment of learners.
DepEd-CAR regional director Dr. Estela L. Carin֮o said that one of the completed projects was the construction of an 8-classroom building worth PhP102.8 million aside from the electrification of some 76 school sites worth PhP151.6 million.
Further, the agency also procured school furniture worth PhP61.3 million and completed 52 new classrooms apart from the provision of water and sanitation to some 159 school sites in the different parts of the region.
In 2022, the agency spent some PhP310 million for the completion of 61 classrooms of which 48 classrooms were found in the last-mile schools or schools located in far flung communities in the region.
Further, some PhP48.6 million from the agency’s quick response fund were used for the repair of 193 classrooms in the same year.
Last year, PhP211 million was used to complete some 18 of the 36 classrooms for last-mile schools while PhP51.7 million from the agency’s quick response fund was used to repair 187 classrooms of which 31 classrooms were from the last-mile schools regionwide.
For this year, 40 classrooms in the last mile schools have been programmed for construction where 32 classrooms have already been completed.
On the other hand, Carin֮o reported that of the 1,844 public elementary and high schools in the region, 1,822 schools have access to electricity while the other 22 schools have yet to be energized.
Moreover, 1,840 schools have computers for pedagogical purposes while 1,781 schools have access to single-sex sanitation facilities.
Some 1,774 schools have direct access to functional basic handwashing facilities as mandated by the health and sanitation policies being enforced by both the education and health departments.
The education official claimed there are some 11 functional library hubs existing in various schools around the region, particularly in Ifugao – 3, Baguio City, Benguet and Mountain Province – 2 each and Abra and Apayao – 1 each.
Last year,137,481 assorted books amounting to PhP23.5 million had already been delivered by publishers to the different library hubs in the different schools in the region.
She pointed out that the regional office continues to make appropriate representations with the central office for the provision of additional funds to sustain the implementation of various school building projects in identified priority areas in the region to bring closer to the learners quality basic education and for the procurement of needed supplies and equipment to significantly improve the learning environment. By Dexter A. See