City government to focus on infra projects in public schools

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu City government is now keeping track of the infrastructure projects in the city’s public schools which are being undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

In its recent regular session, the City Council tapped its committee on education and the executive department’s Local School Board to coordinate with DPWH in the implementation of the ongoing projects.

“(And) to request the two bodies to submit a report to the City Council regarding the progress of the projects for tracking purposes,” read the resolution of Councilor Nestor Archival Sr., which was approved by the council.

Archival, vice chair of the council’s committee on infrastructure, said DPWH representatives appeared during their executive session on October 14 to discuss on their list of implemented projects.

During the discussion, Archival said, the legislative body learned from the national agency that there are infrastructure projects intended for the city’s public schools.

This was affirmed in the recent data provided by the Department of Education – Cebu City Schools Division wherein over 60 projects will have to be implemented by the DPWH.

For school year 2015 to 2016, only one among four projects included in the school building program was completed. The one finished was the building extension at Budlaan Integrated School which cost almost P5 million.

The other three ongoing projects are at Guadalupe Elementary School (completed 95 percent); Cambinocot Elementary School (completed 90 percent); and Inayawan Elementary School (completed 65 percent).

There are also ongoing projects at nine, out of 35 high schools, the first batch to have their classrooms constructed.

These are at Tabunan Integrated School (70 percent); Bitlang National High School (20 percent); Cantipla Integrated School (20 percent); Pamutan Integrated School (20 percent); Sinsin National High School (15 percent); Dr. Emilio Osmeña Integrated School (10 percent); Taptap Integrated School (10 percent); First High School for the Hearing Impaired (five percent); and Sirao Integrated School (contractor mobilized).

For the second batch of senior high school classrooms, there are at least 12 buildings set to be constructed but still awaiting the issuance of the notice to proceed.

For the elementary and junior high school classrooms, DPWH is still working on the additional classrooms in Pasil Elementary School while projects for the seven other schools are yet to be issued with the same notice.

Further, four other school recipients are scheduled for bidding process for the construction of technical vocational facilities or workshop building laboratories.— /NSA (FREEMAN)