TAGBILARAN CITY, June 21 (PIA)–In ten months, army engineers completed a P3.6 million disaster resilient school building that can double as evacuation center for Campao Oriental in Getafe town.
Barangay chairman Pedrito Sobiono Jr., said the 3 class room building, which was part of ABS CBN Sagip Kapamilya Foundation’s help in earthquake rehabilitation, came as much needed help for the school which still have classrooms needing immediate rehabilitation, a week after the formal class opening.
The new building, which costs more that the P1.2 million allocated for every classroom stand in contrast to a single classroom beside it, with two of its walls totally toppled by the quake.
The agreement was for ABS-CBN Foundation to fund new fully furbished three classroom building, for Mariwasa to put up the tiles in the accompanying toilet per room, the army engineers to implement the project and for the community to render volunteer jobs as labor counterpart according the Bohol’s Bayanihan Project, Sobiono Jr., explained.
“It is generally more than P3.6 million,” Parents Teachers Association (PTA) President Albert Melecio added, pointing out that the “building could withstand 170 kilometer winds and is earthquake proof.”
“Over 400 parents took turns in volunteering a day every week and we figured it was just fair as we spent nothing to get the building,” Campao Oriental High School principal Bobet Cortez added.
ABS-CBN Foundation representative and television anchor Bernadette Sembrano picked on the incredible partnership in Bohol which had the army, Department of Education, Provincial Government, Municipal, barangay governments, groups like the PTA and her company had struck, even as she said partnerships always pose a huge challenge.
In his message of acceptance, principal Cortez abundantly thanked the donors: ABS CBN and Mariwasa, the army and the government for the brand new facility.
He also pointed out that aside from ABS-CBN and the army engineers, the heroes of the school are the parents and the students who selflessly struggled it out to complete the project.
“We, beneficiaries [of the project] need to take care of this [building] and make it conducive to learning,” Cortez urged.
Meanwhile, 302nd Infantry Brigade Commander Col. Arnulfo Matanguihan urged the students to take care of the building.
“Everything we put up should let you imagine the hardships our parents put, for their struggles, we have a building with 3 classrooms for this high school,” he said. (rac/PIA-7/Bohol)
ABS-CBN television anchor Bernadette Sembrano leads the guests in cutting the ceremonial ribbon signaling the opening of the 3-classroom disaster resilient classroom in Campao Oriental, Getafe Bohol, June 16. (rac/PIA-7/Bohol)
