Body wants P20M to build classrooms Candulawan’s need is immediate after fire ate 10 classrooms
THE Talisay City Schools Division plans to realign its current annual budget to immediately replace classrooms that were destroyed by fire in Barangay Candulawan last month.
But Dr. Woodrow Denuyo, Talisay City Schools Division superintendent, said that even with the proposed realignment of their P20-million annual budget, they are not sure if they could immediately start construction of new school buildings in Candulawan.
Denuyo told reporters yesterday that, recently, they submitted a realignment request to the Department of Education (Deped) Central Office in Manila.
The request was made due to the immediate need of the Candulawan Elementary and National High School to have its classrooms immediately replaced.
Damage
Last month, a fire razed 10 classrooms. Fire officials pegged the damage at an estimated P500,000.
Electrical misuse was the main cause of the fire.
The P20-million annual budget for the division was originally for the construction of five school buildings in the city’s public elementary and high schools, Denuyo said.
However, due to the immediate need of some schools, such as that in Candulawan, Denuyo decided to submit a request for realignment.
From the P20 million, the division hopes to spend P10-11 million for the construction of medium-rise classrooms.
Aside from Candulawan, a school in Barangay Pooc will also get an appropriation for a new school building after the division received some complaints that their old classrooms are vulnerable to flooding during the rainy season, Denuyo said.
Schedule
Aside from the division, the Talisay City Government, through its Local School Board, will provide a counterpart for the construction of new classrooms. But the LSB can only release funds if it is able to get a special exemption from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) due to ongoing poll ban on infrastructure projects, Denuyo added.
But Denuyo said it is possible that the construction of new school buildings could begin even after the start of the school year. In case that they can’t provide new classrooms, he has organized contingency plans such as double shifting of classes and conducting classes in other areas of the school.