Hundreds of students in two public schools in Ilocos Norte are in extremely high spirits. After so many years, they will no longer have to cram themselves in borrowed classrooms, run-down buildings, hallways and outdoor areas just to learn their lessons for the day.

The high school students of Malaguip Integrated School (MIS) in Paoay and the Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trade (INCAT) in Laoag City were the recent beneficiaries of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (PAGCOR) “Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan” Project.

PAGCOR recently turned over to INCAT a two-storey, ten-classroom building while MIS received a one-storey, five-classroom building.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat, Jr. said the donation is part of the agency’s “Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan” school building program. “Since we launched this project in 2011, our agency has already released P5 billion to build thousands of classrooms in public schools nationwide. These modern and more spacious classrooms are our legacy to the Filipino youth. Bukod dito sa Ilocos, nagpapa-tayo din ang PAGCOR ng mga classrooms sa iba’t-ibang lugar, kasama na sa mga typhoon Yolanda devastated areas,” he cited.

INCAT’s Vocational Schools Superintendent Eugenio Pedro said PAGCOR’s donation of a ten-classroom, two-storey building is a big help to their school. INCAT is one of the oldest and biggest public high schools in Ilocos Norte which is also known for its technical vocational courses.

Since INCAT has been around for a century, many of its old buildings are already deteriorating. “We are glad that PAGCOR came in to help. Before, many students are having classes in outdoor areas. Now, our teachers can implement better teaching strategies.  What they donated to us will greatly contribute to the attainment of our goals,” Pedro said.

In the case of MIS, the school had to make do with whatever available educational facilities it has just to accommodate the growing number of out-of-school youths in the far-flung sitios of Callaguip, Masintoc and Oaid-Upay Abulao. Most students from these areas stopped going to school after graduating in elementary because of poverty. Parents could not afford their children’s daily transportation expenses just to go to the nearest high school in Paoay town.

Eighteen-year old student Meynard Villanueva was one of them. After finishing grade school in 2008 with the highest honors, he was no longer able to enrol in high school because his parents had no stable source of income. The daily transportation expense in going to school cost P140; it was too much for his parents to shoulder.

That’s why the consistent honour student from the far-flung sitio of Callaguip considers the opening of the MIS high school department as a big blessing. MIS is just a five-minute walk from their house. With the donation of additional classrooms by PAGCOR, high school students like Meynard now study in well-ventilated and comfortable learning venues. “Nagpapasalamat ako na dahil sa mga classrooms na pinatayo ng PAGCOR, nabigyan ang mga dating out-of-school youth na kagaya ko ng maayos na silid-aralan,” Meynard related.

Mylene Passion, one of the pioneer high school teachers of MIS said they had been borrowing the classrooms of elementary students since 2011. “Because of PAGCOR’s donation, we no longer have to borrow the rooms of our elementary department. All high school students of MIS are now occupying the new PAGCOR building,” she said.

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