Illegal logs find good use in public school

BUTUAN CITY—Until recently, students of the Agusan National High School (ANHS) here had to share wooden benches.

That ended yesterday with the turnover of some 2,000 arm chairs, made from seized logs, by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Department of Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) under the program Pnoy Bayanihan Project.

Peter Esterioso, ANHS principal, said “students no longer have to endure” the discomfort of sharing benches.

Rey Collado, principal of the Butuan Central Elementary School (BCES), said the school has a student population of 5,000 the largest in the region of Caraga.

“Apart from lack of learning spaces, we are always faced with the problem of providing comfortable chairs to our students,” said Collado.

He said the chairs that students have been using are over 10 years old.

“Starting today, you will no longer have to fight over chairs or sit on the floor,” said Cristino Naguiat Jr., Pagcor chair, addressing himself to students during the turnover of the arm chairs.

Pagcor finances the project, which transforms illegally cut logs into school desks and chairs.

The objective, Naguiat said, is to manufacture thousands of desks and chairs for public schools.

More chairs would be delivered to the BCES, ANHS and other public schools nationwide.

“Pagcor, with the help of other concerned agencies like DepEd, Tesda and DENR, will try to do its part in improving basic education in the country,” said Naguiat.

He said the gaming firm has also set aside P1 billion to build classrooms nationwide. With a report from Franklin Caliguid, Inquirer Mindanao