4O city schools soon to have emergency exits

CEBU, Philippines -  Two months after the start of classes, construction of fire exits in around 40 public schools in Cebu City will finally start this month.

Local Board Chairman Joey Daluz said 11 contractors will construct and finish the emergency exits 30 days after they receive the notice of award.

“Yesterday (Thursday), nag-opening of bids mi unya naa’y daghan ni-attend.  We have determined the lowest bidders. Nag-resolution sad mi sa  Bids and Awards Committee informing the lowest bidder that if they receive the notice of award, they can start at their own risk,” he said.

Daluz said the notice of award will be given to the contract possibly next week.

The emergency construction of the fire exits worth P23 million will be funded using the Special Education Fund.

Daluz said the schools were divided into 11 clusters and each cluster will have one contractor.

The schools identified to be in need of emergency exits include Abellana National High School, Guadalupe Elementary School, Lahug Elementary School, Zapatera Elementary School, Mabolo Elementary School and City Central School, among others.

In June, Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella observed during an inspection in the schools in the city that these lack emergency exits.

“Better late than never. We have to do something about it. Hunongon na lang nato ang pagbinasolay. Ang defect gyud ana was the very time that it was constructed. (But) let’s not talk about it, anyway it’s already there. Mao na lang, we have to learn a lesson,” Labella said earlier.

“The next time that we’ll have construction, an emergency exit should be the first thing to be considered,” he added. —/NSA (FREEMAN)