Foundation turns over 48 classrooms in Leyte

CEBU, Philippines — A total of 48 typhoon-resilient classrooms were turned over recently by the Lopez Group to 18 schools in various local government units of Leyte province, as part of the foundation’s Leyte Rebuilding Project.

The new classrooms, costing P1.2 million each, were expected to benefit more than 4,000 students in 18 schools in Ormoc City and the towns of Kananga, Merida, Isabel and Albuera.

The Lopez Group constructed the classrooms using funds donated to ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc., while the Energy Development Corporation, which operates the Leyte geothermal power plants, donated P4.5 million and supervised the construction of the classrooms.

The classrooms were designed to withstand wind velocity of 250 kilometers per hour, the standard of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for typhoon-resilient structures. These also have wider windows and blackboards, electric fans and comfort rooms.

The design of the school buildings complied with the standards under the Minimum Performance Standards and Specification and approved by the Department of Education.

The turnover ceremony on Monday was led by Clarissa Ocampo, managing director of ABS-CBN’s LKFI, and Richard Tantoco, president and chief operations officer of EDC.

Leyte Governor Dominic Petilla, who attended the rites in Ormoc, said the Lopez Group was not only building classrooms, “but the future of these students.”