City div. complains of classroom construction as standard not specified by DepEd
TACLOBAN CITY- Officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) in this city are complaining about the impending construction of classroom buildings in some identified schools in Tacloban as the structure of these buildings reportedly do not meet with the standards set and specified by DepEd.
City Schools Division Superintendent Ronelo Firmo said this particular project is being implemented by the Leyte First District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) through OIC Engr. Arnaldo Bonifacio.
“We have already expressed our own dissatisfaction of this particular undertaking before the office of DPWH- First Leyte Engineering District, but apparently we were just ignored,” Firmo said.
Firmo is referring to the structures, supposedly classroom buildings that are about to be built by DPWH in recipient schools this month which will only include roofing, flooring, and corner posts.
“Obviously this is not the specification and standard we want when we submitted our proposal under the CY 2010 regular school building program that’s why we want to be clarified,” Firmo said.
Based on the program priority listing for school buildings this year approved by Engr. Bonifacio, Dr. Firmo, and even concurred by Cong. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of the first district of Leyte, about eight classroom buildings are deemed to be completed and three for repairs.
The recipient schools are the following: Palanong Elementary School, Sagkahan Elementary School, Leyte National High School, Tacloban City Night High School, and San Jose Night High School.
Express learned that based on the regional costing of DepEd as of September last year, a complete modified 7mx9 (type II) building, for instance, would only incur P588,000.
Firmo said this would already allow a one-classroom building which includes roofing, flooring, walling with windows and all other necessities including finishing works.
“But we were surprised to know that the DPWH would only install posts, flooring , and roofing using the same amount,” Firmo said.
Firmo said delay of the release of funds might be considered as one reason for this problem but still the DepEd’s costing for the same type of building as of January this year is only P615, 000 which is a bit higher by just P27,000.
“All we want is for the concerned officials to correct this situation. We all know that a social hall type of building or shed may allow the holding of classes already but this would also endanger various school facilities to thieves,” Firmo said.
He added that they are also requesting that funds intended for classrooms construction be given to DepEd directly and not be entrusted to DPWH such that they will implement the project according to their own program of work even if it’s not meeting the standards of DepEd. (LEMUEL PAGLIAWAN)
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