Bautista wants five new high schools

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has certified as urgent six measures that will formally ask the Congress to approve the creation of five new national high schools in the city’s fifth district.

“The favorable consideration of the Sangguniang Panlungsod will be highly appreciated,” the mayor said in letters to Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and the proponents of the ordinance.

Bautista certified as urgent the measures that seek the creation of national high schools in Nagkakaisang Nayon, Gulod, West Fairview, Kaligayahan, and Bagbag.

Based on the proposed measures, filed by fifth district Councilors Aly Medalla and Godofredo Liban II, there is still a shortage of 552 classrooms in the district to be able to accommodate the existing enrolment to achieve the desired one shift per classroom.

The councilors added that the implementation of the K-12 program of the Department of Education (DepEd) will result in the need for additional classrooms by 2016.

“Data from the DepEd division of Quezon City schools project a drastic increase in enrollment in senior high schools in light of the full implementation of K-12 in the year 2016,” added the proposed measures.

Once approved, the resolutions will formally ask the Congress to pass a measure that will pave way for the creation of national high schools in the said areas.

New classrooms

Meanwhile, the council approved on Monday a resolution asking Education Secretary Armin Luistro to allocate funds for the construction of new classrooms in three public high schools in the city.

The resolution, authored by sixth district Councilor Melencio Castelo, asked Luistro for new classrooms in Culiat High School, New Era High School, and the Sauyo High School.