June 13, 2011 Sun Star Cebu
PRE-SCHOOL children in 12 barangays in Cebu will attend classes this year in brand-new classrooms constructed as a result of a public-private partnership.
An agreement on the partnership was signed last May 26, 2011 in Pasig City by Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, Aboitiz Foundation President Jon Ramon Aboitiz and chairperson Pinky Aquino-Abellada of the Aruga tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa (AGAPP) Foundation.
The first barangays in Cebu to benefit are Guadalupe, Guba, Bonbon and Mabolo in Cebu City; Opao in Mandaue City; Agus in Lapu-Lapu City; Gabi in Cordova; San Isidro in Talisay City; Cepoc in the City of Naga; Tayud in Liloan; Abucayan in Balamban; and Bancasan in San Remigio.
The school buildings are part of the 45 structures that will be built across the country in the next two years in support of public schools reforms being implemented by DepEd. The project is a collaboration between the Aklat, Gabay, AGAPP, Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. and DepEd.
Aboitiz Foundation will appropriate funds for the construction. AGAPP will provide age-appropriate instructional materials and training for teachers. DepEd will provide the teachers.
For 2011, 26 school buildings will be constructed and are expected to be simultaneously completed by June 13; the remaining 19 structures will be constructed in 2012.
Other Aboitiz companies in Cebu—Aboitiz Land, Inc., Mactan EnerZone Corp., Balamban EnerZone Corp. and Visayan Electric Company, Inc.—are also involved in the project.
Luzon recipients include Ampucao in Benguet, Aranguren in Tarlac, Kalalake in Subic, Dagat-Dagatan in Metro Manila, Limao in Laguna, Nagas in Albay, and Malicboy West in Quezon.
Mindanao recipients are Villafuerte Sr., Maa Central and Mudiang in Davao; Kiwalan in Iligan; Sta. Ana in Nasipit; Maco Central in Compostella Valley; and Cotabato City.
The school building construction effort is modeled after AGAPP’s “Silid Pangarap” project, which involves building one-story, two-room school-library facilities in depressed and disadvantaged communities. One room is for holding classes while the other room may be used as a school library.
Veco, a power distribution utility, has also answered DepEd’s call to be more active in helping the country’s public schools.
Brigada Eskwela, too
Last May 28, 22 Veco employees did minor repairs at the Tayud Elementary School in Consolacion, such as fixing and repainting walls, ceilings and doors, and replacing and repainting dilapidated roof sheets.
DepEd, through its annual Brigada Eskwela Program, asks the community to gather together to clean up schools and do minor repairs on school facilities before classes start in June.
Aside from helping public schools, Veco said it takes its corporate social responsibility (CSR) one step further by encouraging its CSR beneficiaries (like the parents and teachers of Barangay Tayud) to become de facto agents in its “Bantay Linya” campaign. Bantay Linya is a campaign against theft and pilferage of power lines.
