Pagcor gives additional P2 B for classrooms

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) has allocated an additional P2 billion grant to the Department of Education (DepEd) to build about 2,000 classrooms for public schools.

And with their increasing savings from tight spending and good governance coupled with increasing revenues, PAGCOR chairman and chief executive officer Cristino Naguiat Jr., said that they are set to grant DepEd another P2 billion next school year.

Naguiat said that with DepEd already set to solve the classroom shortage in public schools with the construction of about 66,800 classrooms by the end of the year, the P2 billion will be for a different use, possibly the construction of computer labs in all public elementary schools.

“We’re still studying it with DepEd. We’re creating a committee for this,” Naguiat told the STAR in an interview after the press conference at the PAGCOR Hyatt office in Manila.

“Pinagaaralan pa ’to (It’s still being studied). And of course, we have to get the approval of the President on this project,” Naguiat said.

Naguiat, along with DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson Jr., signed April 5 a memorandum of agreement for the P2 billion additional grant of PAGCOR to DepEd to build classrooms under the second phase of their “Matuwid na Daan sa Silid Aralan” project.

“In coordination with DepEd, we will continue to oversee the monitoring of the project to ensure that construction is on time and follows the agreed quality standards we have set. We only want the best for the country’s future leaders,” Naguiat said.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the agency is on track in attaining zero classroom shortage by the end of this year.

“We will no longer have classroom shortage by end of this year,” Luistro told reporters after attending the signing of the memorandum of agreement.

“This year we will have additional 32,000 classrooms,” Luistro said. He said DepEd has provided Pagcor the list of areas where additional classrooms are urgently needed.

In 2012, the DepEd reported a total shortage of 50,921 classrooms in public schools. “I am very certain we will exceed the target,” Luistro said.

 In 2011, Pagcor has allocated P1 billion for the construction of 900 classrooms and 100 Gawad Kalinga Learning Centers under the “Matuwid na Daan sa Silid Aralan” project.

“We expect that there will be more new classrooms for our elementary and high school students in public schools in time for the June 2013 opening of classes,” Naguiat said.

Singson, for his part, said that the DPWH wants to seek an exemption from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) election ban on the conduct of new public works projects to enable it to push ahead with activities to bid out and start construction on classrooms to be funded by the PAGCOR grant.

“Since we’re continuing site selection, we’re looking at possibly getting Comelec exemption for the (classroom construction) regions,” Singson said.

“Definitely, we’re working very hard for funds to be transferred to DPWH so that it will be completed by December 2013,” Singson said.