Better days have come for Cavite province’s more than 11,000 students from several elementary and public school after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) completed the construction of 246 classrooms in 19 sites here.

Aside from the 246 completed classrooms, 48 more are still being constructed in nine sites in Cavite. Once finished, these additional classrooms will benefit 2,000 more students who have been holding classes in dilapidated learning venues for a long time.

Among the recent beneficiaries of PAGCOR’s school building project were Amaya School of Home Industries (ASHI) in Tanza and Imus Pilot Elementary School (IPES) in Imus City. Both schools received a four-storey, 20-classroom building.

ASHI Principal Delia Romanes said that after the demolition of their two old school buildings, they only had 60 classrooms left for their 4,400 students. Because of this, they were forced to implement morning and afternoon shifts.

“The Grade 7 alone is composed of 15 sections with an average of 75 students per class. Kaya talagang kawawa ang mga estudyante dahil siksikan sila kapag nagka-klase. Sa dami ng aming mga mag-aaral, kulang na kulang talaga ang classrooms,” Romanes said.

With the completion of the new PAGCOR school building which will now be occupied by Grades 11 and 12 students, the class size in lower grade levels will be greatly reduced. “They can now utilize the old classrooms that will soon be vacated by the junior high school students,” Romanes added.

She also shared that the PAGCOR building will house the new computer laboratory and a library for senior high school students.

Meanwhile, IPES, one of the oldest public schools the country, is also experiencing classroom shortage. Established in 1904, most of the school’s classrooms are too run-down for their 4,274 pupils.

IPES School Principal Jocelyn Limosinero said most of their classrooms are the Marcos-type structures, which are too small for a class composed of 70 pupils.

“Bukod sa kalumaan, ang talagang problema ng mga estudyante rito eh ang kaliitan ng kanilang mga silid-aralan dahil napakarami nilang pinagkakasya lang namin sa aming existing classrooms,” she recounted.

Thanks to the new PAGCOR classrooms, a total of 20 sections from Grade 5 and Grade 6 levels will have new learning spaces to use, Limosinero said.

“Malaki pa rin ang bilang ng mga mag-aaral sa bawat klase, pero malaking bagay na rin na mababawasan ang aming average class size dahil kahit papaano malayang makaka-galaw ang mga estudyante kapag meron silang classroom activities. Kaya’t lubos kaming nagpapasalamat sa PAGCOR sa biyayang ito,” she added.

The school building turn-over ceremonies at ASHI and IPES were both graced by PAGCOR Assistant Vice President for Community Relations and Services Arnell Ignacio. He proudly reported that as of December 2016, the state-run gaming firm has already completed the construction of 4,051 classrooms in 716 sites nationwide.

Ignacio added that 2,404 classrooms in 220 sites are under construction, while 466 classrooms in 61 sites are under procurement.

“Maliban sa aming ambag sa nation-building sa pamamagitan ng pagre-remit ng pondo sa pamahalaan, malaking bahagi ng kinikikita ng PAGCOR ang napupunta sa pagsusulong ng maraming makabuluhang proyekto gaya nga nitong school building program. Mahalagang bigyang-prayoridad ang mga ganitong gawain dahil dito nakasalalay ang kinabukasan ng mga kabataan,” he said.

Other schools in Cavite that previously received school buildings from PAGCOR were the Aguinaldo Elementary School, Binakayan National High School, Salinas II Elementary School, Cayetano Topacio Elementary School, Gen. E. Aguinaldo National High School, Langkaan I Elementary School, Bautista Elementary School, Dasmariñas Elementary School, Salawag National High School, Francisco E. Barzaga National High School, Bagong Buhay Elementary School, Bulihan National High School, San Gabriel I Elementary School, Carmona Elementary School, Gov. Ferrer National High School (Annex), Bucal National High School, Brgy. Banaba Cerca Elementary School, Marahan Elementary School, bancaan Elementary School and Tua Elementary School.

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