7 school buildings to be constructed

To address congestion

CEBU, Philippines — In order to decongest some schools in the city, at least seven additional high school and elementary school buildings in various areas will be constructed soon.

Councilor Joy Augustus Young, deputy mayor for education, saw the need to construct more learning facilities after he observed that existing schools are now congested.

“Naghuot naman ta, especially with the senior high school,” he told reporters.

Department of Education (DepEd)-Cebu City Assistant School Division Superintendent Dr. Danilo Gudelosao said that the initial record of enrollees this year is 222,000 students in public schools.

He said that almost every school year had an average two percent increase in their student’s population.

According to Young, he has already found areas for the seven additional schools.

The new school edifices will be constructed in Barangays Inayawan, Pasil, Capitol-Site, Lahug and San Jose.

New elementary school buildings will be in San Jose and Capitol-Site.

Three high school facilities will be built in Capitol Site, Lahug, Pasil and Inayawan. At least one senior high school will be erected in Barangay Inayawan.

Young said the city government will shoulder the expenses for the lot acquisition and DepEd for the construction expenses.

The budget for the lot acquisition will be sourced out in the city’s annual budget next year. Young said majority of the lots identified are city-owned.

Gudelosao is already aware that the city government is now negotiating for the lots, so that these facilities will be established.

He is thankful to Young and the city government, so that congestion of schools will be addressed.

The identified areas will also decongest the neighboring schools.

Gudelosao said almost schools in the city are already congested such as Guadalupe Elementary School, Pasil Elementary School, among others.

“Atong  mga eskwelahan congested na kaayo tanan, labi na Guadalupe. Sa Guadalupe lang daan, ang grade 1 diha I think 25 sections. Tungod sa kadaghan sa estudyante gitunga, meaning ang half maoy morning session and the other half kay afternoon,” he said.

Record shows that there are 69 elementary schools, 57 high schools and 49 senior high schools at present.

“Ang lugar nga gusto ta moabli og high school ug elementary school nga naa na’y yuta. Maingon ta nga naa na sa 80 to 90 percent,” Young said.

He said he will ask the City Planning and Development Office to make a program of works and estimates (POWE) of the proposed six additional school buildings.

He wants to begin the construction as soon as possible so that schools will be decongested.

Young is hopeful that in next school year, 2019 to 2020, these school buildings will already be utilized. (FREEMAN)