For school rebuilding, Pagcor earmarks P2B for Yolanda-hit areas

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has allocated P2 billion for the reconstruction of school buildings ravaged by typhoon Yolanda, according to a GMA7 News report.

Pagcor and the Department of Education signed the agreement last Friday, an emailed statement from the state-run gaming regulator said.

"The DepEd said roughly 40 percent to 60 percent of public school children in severely affected areas have resumed their classes in makeshift classrooms … For this reason, PAGCOR donated P2 billion to DepEd," Pagcor chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat, Jr. said.

DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro said the amount pledged by Pagcor would cover half of the funding requirements for the public schools that were destroyed by Yolanda.

About P4 billion in funds were needed to rebuild and rehabilitate at least 2,000 classrooms of affected public schools in Palawan, Romblon, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Bogo City, Cebu, Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Ormoc City and Tacloban City.

Approximately 5,900 classrooms in the Visayas and Region 4 were totally devastated by Yolanda, while 14,508 more were partially damaged. "Ito po yung pinakamalaking bonanza na nakuha ng DepEd na talagang tumutugon sa Yolanda … Itong P2 billion na ito, para talaga sa nasalanta ng Yolanda," Luistro noted in the same statement.

Bidding and procurement of construction materials will start by January 2014, the statement read, adding that under the agreement, PAGCOR will help monitor the construction's progress, while DepEd will handle all phases of implementation including preparation of documentary requirements, procurement, construction, monitoring, and maintenance among others.

Luistro further noted that the planned new classrooms would be earthquake-and typhoon-proof buildings.

Rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson, who was also at the agreement signing, said that they intended to "build back better" classrooms. "Mas  mahal ang classroom kung mas maayos. But it is imperative for these classrooms to withstand calamities because every year, around 20 typhoons visit the country," he said.

For this year, Pagcor has allocated a total of P5 billion in school buildings. Earlier this year, it has pledged P1 billion to DepEd and P2 billion to the Department of  Public Works and Highways for its "Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan" school building program.

To date, 588 classrooms in 105 sites had been completed under the said project. Thousands more are under construction while others are still undergoing the procurement process, the statement read. -From the wires