Lopez Group set to complete school rehab program for disaster areas

LOPEZ Group companies will finish this September a P196-million program for the construction of typhoon-resilient schools in areas hit by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” and other recent disasters.

Leonardo Ablaza, manager of the Lopez Group’s school rebuilding program, said stakeholders already completed the construction of 50 typhoon-resilient school buildings in Leyte, Samar, Iloilo, Capiz and Bukidnon.

Sixteen more school buildings, consisting of 32 classrooms each, would be completed between July and September this year, he said.

The entire program would benefit an estimated 9,000 students.

Designed by third-party experts, the calamity-resilient classrooms can withstand wind velocity of up to 250 kilometers per hour. The classrooms feature cathedral-type ceilings, wider windows and insulated roofing for better ventilation. Other amenities include concave-design blackboards, wall-mounted electric fans, LED lights, comfort rooms and access for persons with disabilities.

Yolanda (international name: Haiyan), which hit Central Visayas in November 2013, is considered one of the most destructive typhoons ever recorded in history. In the midst of the death and destruction, the Lopez Group mounted massive and immediate relief operations that included the airlifting and sealifting of a wide range of emergency items from food and medicine to electric generators and fuel.

Energy Development Corp. (EDC), which acts as project manager for the school rebuilding program, disclosed the status of the project last June 9 to mark the inauguration of one of the new school buildings in Ormoc City. Other companies within the Lopez Group supporting this program are First Gen Corp. and First Philippine Holdings Corp. (FPH).