Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said that it is the first project of the Classroom: Galing sa Mamamayang Pilipino Abroad (CGMPA). The building was built at the Tala High School (THS) in Tala, Caloocan City North.
THS has a student population of 5,789 but has only 39 classrooms, or about one classroom for every 148 students. To reach the ideal ratio of 1:45, or one classroom for every 45 students, the THS still needs at least 90 more classrooms.
Gregorio Oca, president of the Associated Marine Officers and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP), donated P2 million for the project while Henry Ang of FFCCCII pledged to provide chairs for the 10 new classrooms to complete the set-up.
CGMPA, a collaborative project of the Department of Labor and Employment, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Education, and the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc., is set to be finished next month.
Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo, the THS students and faculty expressed their gratitude to the Filipino communities abroad particularly those from the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia.