Bacolod to build PHP 52.5 million school facility

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The city government welcomed support from the national government through the Department of Education to improve access to education and address the growing classroom shortage.

Mayor Greg Gasataya announced during a news conference Thursday that a new 16-classroom building would be constructed at Progreso Village National High School in Barangay Vista Alegre.

Gasataya and Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara signed a memorandum of agreement in Manila on Wednesday for the project’s implementation.

“This is a first time partnership between the national government and the local government to accelerate the construction of additional school facilities,” Gasataya said.

He also expressed appreciation for the national government’s efforts to empower local government units and strengthen the country’s education sector.

Gasataya said the Department of Education would transfer the project funds to the city government, which would oversee its implementation.

Progreso Village National High School currently has only 12 classrooms, forcing many students to enroll in senior high schools in neighboring barangays because of limited capacity.

The classroom shortage has also contributed to absenteeism and student dropouts.

The new building is expected to help address the classroom shortage in the relocation community and improve access to senior high school education for hundreds of learners.

The school currently serves more than 1,000 learners.

Once completed, the PHP 52.5 million project is expected to accommodate about 350 to 500 additional students, School Principal Lemuel Mendoza said.

Mendoza said the additional classrooms would significantly ease congestion and expand access to quality education.

He described the project as a major milestone in improving the quality and accessibility of education in Progreso Village, particularly through the expansion of the school’s senior high school program.

Bacolod City Schools Division Superintendent Dennis Develos also welcomed the project, describing it as a timely intervention for incoming senior high school students.

He said the additional classrooms would increase the school’s capacity, make education more accessible to the community, and help reduce dropout rates.

The partnership between the Department of Education and local governments was launched under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to accelerate the construction, rehabilitation, and repair of classrooms nationwide.

The Nationwide Classroom Building Program seeks to address the country’s estimated backlog of 144,758 classrooms as of January.