Aboitiz turns over building to MCCS

CEBU, Philippines - The Aboitiz Foundation and the Mandaue City government turned over a six-classroom three-story building to the Mandaue City Central School yesterday.

The newly built classrooms were constructed through the private-public partnership initiated by the Aboitiz Foundation, Incorporated (AFI) which spent P6.7 million with Mandaue spending P2.8 million.

As this developed, AFI president Jon Ramon Aboitiz and Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and other stakeholders signed a memorandum of agreement for the construction of 39 classrooms in different public schools in the city, including the renovation of the technical skills shop of Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School. AFI will spend P52.7 million for the project.

"It is really a big help and we are very thankful and rest assured we will take care of it," said Rita Cabahug, principal of the school.

The school, located in the heart of the city, has the biggest student population of 4,397, with students even coming from Lapu-Lapu City.

Student-teacher ratio is 1:60 far above the ideal ratio of 1:45.

The building is the first of its kind, described as spacious, and with a comfort room at every level.

Three pupils yesterday accepted the symbolic key to the new building.

Cabahug said starting today, six sections of grade four will transfer to the new building, and starting April or May another similar building will be constructed, to be funded by DepEd.

After its completion, the city will demolish the old building along the road to give way to a similar project.

"Because of the strong partnership, there is no other city in the Philippines I think that we build more classrooms than the city of Mandaue," Aboitiz said.

Cortes for his part said the city shares with Aboitiz the same vision of fighting poverty by improving the quality of education.

"This is proof of what we can achieve out of a strong partnership," mayor said. (FREEMAN)