Pagcor, Gawad Kalinga to build 100 classrooms in poor areas

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) will finance the construction of 100 classrooms in communities served by the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation (GK).

“With more funds, our work will not end with building classrooms. We plan to bring more projects to support our people in their endeavors,” said Pagcor chair and chief executive officer Cristino Naguiat Jr.

‘‘The prudent management of public funds has allowed Pagcor to finance the classroom project with Gawad Kalinga,’’ Naguiat said at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Building Structures for our Children’s Future held on November 9 at the M.L. Adriano Memorial Elementary School, Barangay (village) Engkanto, Angat, Bulacan.

Pagcor said in a press statement it will provide P65 million to fund the construction of the classrooms. GK, which has already put up hundreds of thousands of homes for poverty stricken Filipinos, will administer the construction of the classrooms. The Department of Education will manage the schools once the structures have been completed.

Volunteers of Pilipinas Natin, a volunteer movement launched by President  Aquino himself, will also help build the classrooms.

M.L. Adriano Memorial Elementary School principal Lolita Nicholas and barangay captain Herminia Maala thanked Pagcor and GK for their efforts to provide learning facilities for the children of Barangay Engkanto.

Grade school students entertained Pagcor, DepEd, and GK representatives with a poem, a dance number, and the Gawad Kalinga song.

GK executive director Jose Luis Oquiñena presented the design of the classrooms to the parents. He said that the technology used will be environmentally friendly, and that the classrooms will have clean toilets, a teacher’s office, and even a room where children can be taught how to brush their teeth.

He also presented a map, showing the locations all over the country where the 99 classrooms will be built. Pagcor and GK are also planning to build classrooms in Sulu and in other parts of Mindanao.

Pagcor in July earmarked P1 billion for the construction of 1,000 classrooms for students in public elementary and high schools nationwide. They presented a symbolic P1-billion check to President Aquino on his 100th day in office. The classrooms will be built in partnership with the Department of Education and nongovernment organizations such as GK.