This will be on top of the 2,885 new classrooms that were earlier completed in the region by Citicore-Megawide under Phase I with President Aquino witnessing the ceremonial turnover during his visit in Malolos City recently.
“PSIP is the first social infrastructure PPP project under the Aquino administration that aims to help address the shortage of over 60,000 classrooms nationwide,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director and Regional Development Council Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) chair Severino Santos said.
A report from the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Central Luzon said “Phase I involved the design, financing, and construction of 7,144 classrooms in 12 provinces across Region III and IV-A with a 10-year lease period.”
The report also said the design for the classrooms sets them apart from the traditional, boxed-in types.
Load-bearing walls eliminate the need for wall posts, creating larger classroom spaces while hallway and stairway areas were also given wider clearances, it added.
“The rooms benefit from maximized circulation of natural light and air and the chalkboards are specially curved so that students can better read the notes from all areas of the classroom.”
Megawide was also awarded Phase II of PSIP, which covers Regions I, II, III, X, and the CARAGA region.
“Of the seven provinces, Bulacan has the most in Phase II with 574 classrooms followed by Nueva Ecija – 144, Pampanga -121, Bataan – 75, Zambales – 64, Tarlac -24, and Aurora -15,” Santos said.
In a report submitted to the RPMC, DepEd said as of March 2015, they have completed 193 classrooms in 66 buildings.
The construction of additional classrooms are ongoing and are due to be finished in time for the school opening in June, the PIA-3 report said.
