GMA urged to upgrade public school system

A retired police general urged President Arroyo and Education Secretary Jesli Lapuz to rationalize the construction of affordable public schoolbuildings by involving the active participation of various sectors in a bid to reinvigorate the public educational system.

"To arrest the great decline of the public school system, the government and the private sector must work together to bring back the quality of education in the countryside and in all public schools. Giving them decent classrooms not only to encourage students to study harder but also inspire teachers to stay in the country instead of going abroad to serve as domestic helpers," said retired Gen. Reynaldo Velasco.

A product of the public school system from elementary to high school before he entered the Philippine Military Academy belonging to the Matatag Class ’71, Velasco said that reinvigorating the public educational system will result in good investments as an important component in nation building because many great leaders today and the last generation also came from public schools.

"If only we focus on giving our children the quality education that they deserve by way of providing them decent learning facilities, I believe they can be at par with those in private schools," said Velasco.

Velasco made his pitch to President Arroyo and Lapuz following the inauguration of the P8 million worth of schoolbuilding projects at the Daniel Maramba National High School in Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan.

Among the projects inaugurated were the P5 million, two storey Home Economics building equipped with medical, dental, and computer rooms and facilities, P2 million four-classrooms donated by Sen. Bong Revilla, and the P1 million, two classroom building donated by Senate President Manny Villar.

The latest projects brought to P43 million the total amount initiated by Velasco for Sta. Barbara town, including a P10 million flood control project which he started in 1977 when he was commander of Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1) and president of the Daniel Maramba Alumni Association.

Velasco, who finished elementary educaion at the Banaoang Elementary School, started these projects when he was still in the active service drawing inspiration and wisdom from our national Dr. Jose Rizal, who once said, "Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makarating sa paroroonan."

He said that what he is doing in his hometown is to make it a model for shared partnership in the whole third district of Pangasinan. "What we are doing in Sta. Barbara is a model which we expect to be replicated in other places," he said, pointing out that partnership among all stakeholders would enable the speedy completion of the projects.

He cited the local government units (LGUs), barangay officials, teachers, parents and students who contributed significantly to the undertaking.

Even when he was still in the active police service, Velasco earned the reputation of being a builder and innovator who was always passionate in giving his people a good working environment.

He pioneered the facelift and improvements of various camps in the country, namely Camp Bagong Diwan in Taguig City; Batangas and Negros Occidental provincial commands, Camp Parang in Maguindanao, and Camp Oscar Florendo in San Fernando City.