Classroom project to focus on Cagayan, Iligan schools

MANILA, Philippines—A public-private fund-raising initiative aimed at addressing the perennial shortage in public school classrooms will focus its efforts on rebuilding damaged schools in cities devastated by Tropical Storm “Sendong” for the meantime.

TEN Moves (The Entire Nation Moves), a project of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the corporate-led 57-75 Movement, aims to raise P6 billion for the construction of public school classrooms nationwide by encouraging individuals to donate P10 per day for the next 10 months. The project was launched in October last year.

But in the first quarter of the year, TEN Moves will channel donations to the rehabilitation of classrooms partially or completely destroyed by the storm that lashed and flooded Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities in northern Mindanao on Dec. 17.

“The government alone cannot respond to all these needs as it also has to attend to other rehabilitation requirements such as health, relocation, housing, livelihood and others,” TEN Moves said.

“Thus, for the first quarter of 2012, we will be directing TEN Moves contributions to the construction of classrooms in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro,” the organization said on its website.

The widespread flooding in northern Mindanao caused some P114.9 million in damage to classrooms, school equipment and learning materials in about 60 schools across the region.

TEN Moves renewed its call on Filipinos to support its effort by making donations through bank deposit, wire transfer, credit card or text. Details are posted on the TEN Moves website, www.tenmoves.org.

“We encourage everyone to help in this urgent rebuilding effort. If you have already made your pledge but haven’t had a chance to send in your donation, this would be the best time to do it. Likewise, we appeal for your support in promoting TEN Moves with people who are looking for an avenue to help the typhoon victims,” the organization said.

TEN Moves said it collected P3.29 million in donations from more than 1,000 individuals from October to December last year.

With the TEN Moves project, the DepEd hopes to address the need for at least 50,000 classrooms in the next two years.