In a significant move to bolster educational infrastructure, Education Secretary Sonny Angara spearheaded the groundbreaking of school building projects across eight schools in Iloilo City and province. The ceremony, held at Iloilo National High School on December 13, 2024, marks the beginning of construction aimed at readiness for the upcoming school year.
The initiative, attended by notable figures including Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., Uswag Ilonggo Party-list Rep. James Ang Jr., and Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz Defensor, encompasses a variety of projects. These include a PHP23.5 million three-story, six-classroom building for each of Hibao-an (Integrated) Elementary School, Arevalo Elementary School, Iloilo Central School, Uswag San Isidro Elementary School, and Mandurriao Elementary School. Additionally, a PHP31.5 million four-story, eight-classroom building is planned for Fort San Pedro National High School and Iloilo City National High School. The largest project, a PHP46.8 million four-story, 12-classroom building, is designated for Iloilo National High School.
Secretary Angara, responding to requests from Governor Defensor and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, facilitated the funding for these projects to address the critical shortage of classrooms. In his remarks, Angara emphasized the importance of these developments, stating, “Each province, each town, we have one project. We will have one project for each school in every municipality because I believe this project will have a major impact on education.”
Ma. Luz De Los Reyes, Superintendent of the Schools Division of Iloilo City, highlighted the anticipated positive impact on secondary education. She noted that despite the new constructions, Iloilo City National High School still requires an additional 60 classrooms to meet the ideal one classroom per class ratio. Meanwhile, Fort San Pedro National High School has resorted to shifting schedules to manage its increasing student numbers.
Expressing gratitude, De Los Reyes acknowledged the efforts of Uswag Ilonggo Party-list Rep. Jojo Ang, who played a crucial role in securing these projects. She expressed hope that more schools in the region would benefit from similar initiatives in the future.