Pampanga school gets gift of bottles

The San Pablo II National High School in Lubao, Pampanga, built a learning center out of eco bricks—plastic bottles filled with shredded plastic and inorganic materials. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Students of San Pablo II National High School in Lubao town in Pampanga province received a unique gift on the opening of classes last week: a “Center of Creativity” made of recycled materials.

The center’s walls, ceiling and doors are composed of 7,607 eco bricks (1.5-liter plastic bottles stuffed with shredded plastic wrappers and inorganic trash).

A total of 2,416 plastic bottles were used to form the roof.

The recycling of these materials helped the earth by sequestering 1,800 kilograms of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, according to lawyer Vivian Dabu, executive director of Kapampangan Manalakaran Inc. (Kamai), which initiated the project.

The building, said to be the first of its kind in the country, was turned over to the student council, science club and school administration led by principal Lilia Valdez. Kamai also donated writing and art materials.

“The facility is for you to use to hone your talents and help keep Mother Earth clean and healthy,” Dabu said during the turnover ceremony.

TONETTE T. OREJAS

The 20-square meter center was named “Bottle School” by Olivia Icban, former school principal. The students in the 2-hectare campus come from 15 villages in Lubao.

The center was completed “bayanihan-style:” Students made the eco bricks, which were assembled and sandwiched in wire mesh that filled the walls and doors. The bottom of the bottles served as floor tiles. The students painted the murals inside and outside the center.

The barangay contributed 30 trucks of sand to elevate the floor of the center to the adjacent building. The school donated cans of paint.

Aside from providing technical guidance, Kamai provided construction supplies worth P100,000. —TONETTE OREJAS