PAVIA, Iloilo – PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III led the inauguration and formal turn-over of a brand-new three-storey, 18-classroom school building donated by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to Pavia National High School (PNHS), the only public high school in the Municipality of Pavia, Iloilo.

The turn-over of new classrooms was made possible through the “Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan” project of PAGCOR and its partners—the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The new school building will benefit 3,500 students of PNHS who are currently holding some classes in cramped learning spaces, occupying the school offices, laboratory rooms or two gymnasiums. About 65 students occupy the school’s old classrooms. The additional facility will also address the need for more classrooms to accommodate senior high school students, as the implementation of the K-to-12 program comes to full swing.

Aside from being spacious and well-ventilated, the new PAGCOR classrooms also have comfort rooms in each floor for male and female students.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Cristino L. Naguiat, Jr. together with Senate President Franklin Drilon, DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Iloilo 2nd District Representative Arcadio Gorriceta and Mayor Michael Gorriceta,joined President Aquino during the turn-over rites.

In his speech, President Aquino acknowledged the vital role that PAGCOR plays in providing a healthy learning environment for the students by building decent classrooms in communities where they are needed most.

“Nagpapa-salamat tayo sa PAGCOR sa pag-pondo sa proyekto na napakaraming mag-aaral ang natu-tulungan at namu-mulat sa kaalaman dahil sa ipinapa-tayong mga paaralan. Makaka-asa po kayo na tinu-tugunan ng inyong gobyerno ang mga pangangailangan sa basic education. Hindi natin hahayaang mag-tiis muli ang mga mag-aaral sa kulang-kulang na, gutay-gutay pa at mali-maling classrooms. Hindi na rin sila magka-klase sa ilalim ng mga puno,” the President said.

For his part, Secretary Luistro cited that over 100,000 classrooms had been constructed under the Aquino administration. He said that this is a true testament of the government’s noble effort in uplifting the quality of education in the country.

“Limang taon bago po ang panunungkulan ng Presidente Aquino ay humigit-kumulang 14,000 classrooms lamang ang nai-tayo. Sa limang taon naman ng Aquino administration, mahigit isandaang classrooms ang nai-tayo,” Luistro stated.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Cristino L. Naguiat, meanwhile, noted that the new school building in Iloilo is just one of thousands of classrooms that PAGCOR and its partners have built since 2011.

“The school building project has been our greatest legacy to the Filipino youth. That’s why every time we witness the completion of a new PAGCOR building, we are motivated to keep on exceeding our previous accomplishments. Every new building gives a new sense of hope to many students who have held classes outdoors or in dilapidated classrooms that are no longer safe to use,” he related.

PNHS Principal Delorah Cecilia Fantillo said it has been her long-time wish to provide their students with comfortable and spacious classrooms. But it was only recently that her dream was realized.“We have always wanted to give them a venue that is conducive to learning. Having better classrooms help us in providing our students with the quality education that they deserve. I am grateful that my prayers were answered,” she said.

Fantillo added that apart from using the new classrooms for academic purposes, the new PAGCOR building will also be used as evacuation center during calamities. It will likewise be utilized as venue for community cultural activities of the local government unit. “The new building donated by PAGCOR has given us extra space where we can hold some of our programs or host some important activities. Napakalaking ginhawa talaga ang hatid sa amin ng biyayang ito,” she added.

To date, PAGCOR has already allocated a total funding of P12 billion for its nationwide schoolbuilding project.

As of December 2015, a total of 2,129 classrooms in 439 sites had already been constructed nationwide. Meanwhile, 1,644 classrooms in 260 sites are under construction while 1,105 in 100 sites are undergoing procurement. Thousands more are still undergoing evaluation.

Go back