Pagcor to build 1,000 classrooms

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has committed to build 1,000 fully-equipped classrooms for the Department of Education (DepEd) this year and help alleviate the shortage of classrooms for public schools.

The pledge was confirmed through the signing of a memorandum of agreement between PAGCOR chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr., and DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro last week at the PhilSports Arena.

The number of classrooms to be built by PAGCOR represents 10 percent of the maximum 10,000 units per year DepEd is capable of building given its limited funds for classroom construction, DepEd said.

PAGCOR will coordinate with DepEd on which schools need additional classrooms based on the department’s list of public elementary and secondary schools with classroom shortages.

Classroom shortage is a recurring problem in the Philippine public school system. Among the top reasons is the need to accommodate at least a million new entrants to public schools each year.

The introduction of universal kindergarten in all public schools as part of the proposed K+12 education reform program has also led to a sharp increase in the demand for classrooms across the country.

Part of PAGCOR’s mandate is to generate revenues for the country’s socio-civic, infrastructure and national development programs. The classrooms will have provisions for desks/armchairs, books and other educational materials.

The agency provided an initial funding of P100 million for the “P-Noy Bayanihan” project in partnership with DepEd, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Technology Education and Skills Development Authority which aims to construct thousands of school desks out of confiscated illegal logs.

“The initial batch of these school desks are scheduled for donation in the coming days,” the Pagcor chief said.– Rainier Allan Ronda, Helen Flores

He said Pagcor also produced hundreds of school desks out of old slot machine stands. Most of these had already been donated to different public schools, Naguiat said.

DepEd early this year signed an agreement with the League of Municipalities, Cities and Provinces to build classrooms in areas identified as having an acute shortage under the DepEd-LGU counter parting program.