DPWH gets P10B for gov’t classroom building projects

The Department of Budget has released P10 billion to the public works and highways department to support the government’s goal of filling in the classroom shortage this year.

Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad, in a statement, said the amount would be used for the construction, replacement and completion of kindergarten, elementary and secondary school buildings and other facilities in areas experiencing acute classroom shortage.

“This release is in line with the Aquino administration’s goal to close the nationwide classroom gap this year,” he said.

Schools in the National Capital Region will receive the biggest amount of P1.7 billon while schools in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) will get P1.2 billion. Eastern Visayas schools will get P827.7 million.

Abad said P4.06 billion more was ready for release pending the submission of a list of school recipients by the Department of Education.

While the government pushes to close the classroom gap, the DepEd is bidding out P1.3-billion worth of supply contracts to support its computerization program as it moves to address the shortage of basic school amenities.

The DepEd has called for bid papers for six contracts for the provision of e-classroom packages, information technology equipment and software, including training for the use of these products.

Almost half of the P1.3 billion will be used for “e-classroom” packages meant for 3,617 elementary schools all over the country.

One contract worth up to P288.6 million is for Luzon schools alone. The other, worth up to P349.9 million, will be for the Visayas and Mindanao schools.

A third lot worth up to P459.6 million involves IT equipment for 666 high schools.—Ronnel W. Domingo