New building for island school in Badian
An island barangay in Badian town, southwest Cebu yesterday received a two-classroom school building from the Cebu provincial government.
Governor Hilario Davide III, Vice Governor Agnes Magpale and other Capitol officials turned over the school building to Zaragoza National High School, a 20-minute boat ride from the town proper.
The new edifice, painted in yellow and blue, will house 76 high school students. Each classroom can accommodate up to 40 students.
Like other public schools in the province, overcrowded classrooms were a main problem of Zaragoza NHS before. In fact, the school had to use the elementary school classrooms for its classes.
According to Davide, the project cost the Capitol at least P1.4 million. The Capitol will also provide 40 armchairs for each classroom.
In a short speech during the simple ceremony, Davide reiterated that providing quality education is one of the top priorities of his administration.
"We know how important it is to have a conducive place for study, that's why we will continue to construct more buildings," he said, adding that it has been his goal to address the shortage of classrooms in the province.
The governor earlier promised to construct within the year at least 20 school buildings with two classrooms each.
Provincial Engineer Hector Jamora said they will be constructing 15 more school buildings, which are now under bidding. These proposed buildings have been requested by the barangay officials.
Last month, the province turned over at least P4.2 million worth of school buildings in midwest Cebu towns. Three school buildings were given to the mountain barangays of Asturias (Obogon Elementary School) and Aloguinsan (Bogo Elementary School) and one in a coastal barangay of Pinamungajan (Cabiangon Elementary School).
In June, the Capitol also turned over a school building worth P1.4 million to Calangcang Primary School, still in Badian.