MANILA, Philippines - What calamity once mercilessly destroyed, the Tzu Chi Foundation has replaced with a thing of beauty – a P35-million school building for the Mangayon Elementary School in Compostela Valley, where typhoon Pablo wreaked havoc in 2012.
The new building has 18 fully equipped classrooms and facilities like a faculty office, clinic, library, laboratory, canteen and restrooms.
The school caught the eye of Tzu Chi Foundation as it lay in ruins following the onslaught of the deadly typhoon. After conducting a series of relief distributions, the Buddhist relief organization began the reconstruction of the school in November 2013.
Last December 1, 2014, local government officials led by Governor Arturo Uy, officials from the Department of Education (Deped), businessmen, together with Buddhist monks from Long Hua Temple, Tzu Chi volunteers, teachers, students and parents unveiled the new Mangayon school.
Engraved in the school marker is a letter of Tzu Chi Foundation founder, Master Cheng Yen, originally written in Chinese and translated into English. Inscribed are the damages of typhoon Pablo (Bopha) last December 2012 and her hope that the building lasts for many generations to come for all the students to be protected and to enrich their wisdom-life above all.
“This is a gift from heaven and from Master Cheng Yen. One way to give back to the kindness of Tzu Chi Foundation is to beautify and take good care of the donation they gave the students,” Gov. Uy said, adding his plan to continue the construction of the school campus fence, school entrance road and its landscape.
Deped regional director Nenita Lumaad said, “It’s a great miracle to construct a beautiful school like this.” Her words were echoed by the chief educator of the beneficiary school, Ruth Gunida, who said she was the happiest person on that day for the answered prayer.
Gunida recalled that after typhoon Pablo destroyed their old school, they had to make do with straw huts and tents to conduct classes.
Chelenie Endona, a fifth grade student, said the only thing she could give in return is to study hard and help take care of the school.
Behind the design is Architect Anthony Paul Gaw who shared that the school is his first project born out of love and charity.
“The biggest challenge for me was to create a building with ‘flexibility’ where it could be used as an evacuation center,” he said.
Gaw said the building has six structures with one floor. Each room is well-ventilated because of its high ceiling. In the large windows and two doors, one can see a view of the greenery; and wooden jalousies were placed for the safety of the children.