The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Region V step-up the implementation of school building (SB) projects all over Bicol to address the concern of the Department of Education (DepEd) on the shortage of classrooms.
“Exert utmost effort to increase your accomplishment in the implementation of SB projects in your District,” said DPWH 5 Regional Director Virgilio C. Eduarte in the recent Regional Staff Meeting attending by District Engineers, Division Chiefs and other DPWH 5 key personnel that was held in DPWH RO5, Rawis, Legazpi City.
As of April 30, 2019, DPWH in Bicol reported a total of 3,182 classrooms completed region-wide and 2,143 are still ongoing construction. These are from the CY 2017 and CY 2018 SBPrograms. The latter SB program still have 28 classrooms or 2 buildings that not yet started due to late release of funds.
“I have noted from the news that there are many schools in the entire country that still maintain a two-shift system or one class in the morning and another in the afternoon in the same room as a solution to the shortage. Let us make this region be a part of the solution,” said RD Eduarte to his District Engineers.
In the past, rampant delays on the completion of school buildings were observed prompting former DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson to issue Department Order No.
159, series of 2015 directing the standardization of project duration for standard DPWH SB projects.