Aris gets P560M for classrooms in 2016

By June S. Blanco

RISING from the rubble of the Great Bohol Earthquake and typhoon Yolanda may not be as swift as when done by a genie, but the effort of Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) is paying off.

This after Aumentado said he has secured P560 million from the Department of Education (DepEd) for the construction of 560 classrooms at P1 million each – half of them in the first semester and the other half during the second semester.

Aumentado said the school buildings prior to the storm were not enough for the pupils. Some make do with dilapidated classrooms; others utilize the school stage, if any, or the oft-repeated “under the mango tree”.

The situation, the solon said, was aggravated after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that damaged school buildings, roads and bridges, churches and other structures. While Bohol was not a direct hit of typhoon Yolanda, the howler still managed to blow away some roofs.

This made the solon double his efforts to narrow the gap in the classroom needs in his district. He said only when the environment is conducive to study can parents and teachers expect students to absorb what are taught.

Otherwise, he said, the students are vulnerable to dropping out if school only makes them uncomfortable. ~ END