COTABATO CITY – Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) led the groundbreaking ceremony of a school building at Datu Unsay Elementary School in Datu Unsay, Maguindanao on Monday, the first day of classes.
Major General Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division; Mayor Bai Monawara Ampatuan of Datu Unsay; and Meriam Kawit, Maguindanao 1 schools division superintendent; were also present during the groundbreaking activity.
The school building, with three classrooms, was funded by the ARMM government. It is worth P637,389 and will cover a floor area of 92 square meters. The structure would be built by the 6th Infantry Division as part of its peace and development effort.
Maria Elena Ibrahim, school head of Datu Unsay Elementary School, said: “This is indeed a big help to our school. We are grateful of the support of the ARMM government.” Ibrahim said the new school building provides a facility conducive to learning for the students of Datu Unsay Elementary School. The provincial government of Maguindanao also turned over four refurbished buildings in the same school.
As part of the Balik-Eskwela program, Governor Hataman also distributed school bags and school supplies to more than 300 students of Timbangan Elementary School in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.
“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa binigay na tulong sa amin, hindi na po mahihirapan ang aking magulang na bumili pa ng gamit sa paaralan (Thank you for this assistance, my parents no longer need buy these things for me),” Joel Rapar, an 11-year old, Grade 5 student of Timbangan Elementary School said.
Joining the ARMM government in this project are ABS-CBN and the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division, which turned over slippers to teachers and parents of Timbangan Elementary School.
Abdullatip Tandel, school head of Timbangan said: “Maliit lang na bagay ang tulong na ito para sa mga tao dito, pero sobra ang saya na naipaabot sa amin (Others may say this is minor assistance but this surely makes the local residents very happy).”
DepEd-ARMM to build new education office and school houses worth P560 million
The Department of Education of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) also said that it will soon build the Basilan Schools Division Office as well as new school houses in various sites in the region this year.
The infrastructure projects amounting to P560 million is under the 2013 Basic Educational Facilities Fund program.
The pre-bidding conference for these projects was presided over by Dr. John Magno, DepEd-ARMM’s Secretary, at the Regional Educators Learning Center inside the Bangsamoro People’s Complex here. (Bureau of Public Information)
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