Iloilo city pours P711.7 million into school infra push

The local government has funneled nearly P711.7 million from its Special Education Fund (SEF) into the construction of new school buildings across the city, aiming to address the growing demand for classrooms, particularly in senior high schools. INQUIRER FILES

ILOILO CITY — The local government has funneled nearly P711.7 million from its Special Education Fund (SEF) into the construction of new school buildings across the city, aiming to address the growing demand for classrooms, particularly in senior high schools.

Under the city’s ongoing infrastructure blitz, multiple multi-story school buildings have already been completed, while several others are in various stages of construction.

Finished projects include a two-story, six-classroom building at A. Celis Memorial School; two-story buildings with 10 classrooms each at Baluarte Elementary and Jalandoni National High School; a two-story, eight-classroom building also at Jalandoni National High; and a three-story, 12-classroom facility at Jalandoni Memorial Elementary School.

Major additions were also completed at Iloilo City National High School with a four-story, eight-classroom building; the Tiu Cho Teg-Ana Ros Foundation Integrated Farm School with a three-story, 30-classroom and a two-story, eight-classroom building; and the Tabucan Elementary School with a four-story, 12-classroom structure.

Meanwhile, construction is underway on eight other school facilities. These include two two-story, four-classroom units, a two-story, eight-classroom building, and a three-story, 12-classroom building at Nabitasan Integrated School; a two-story, eight-classroom facility at Hibao-an Integrated School; and a four-story, 16-classroom building at La Paz National High School.

Work is also ongoing on a three-story, six-classroom building at La Paz I Elementary School; two two-story, six-classroom buildings at La Paz II Elementary School; and a two-story, six-classroom structure at Graciano Lopez Jaena Elementary School.

The SEF, sourced from one percent of real property tax collections, has served as a critical lifeline for funding these initiatives.

Apart from infrastructure, the city continues to shoulder operational costs such as electricity, water, internet, salaries for utility workers, and city-hired teachers./coa