34 classrooms up for bidding

INSTEAD of only 33, Bohol this year will build 34 new classrooms under the convergence strategy of the Department of Education (DepED) and the provincial government. This after Gov. Erico Aumentado sought adjustment in the DepED funding of P5 million to P5.1 million as counterpart to an equal amount from the provincial government to complete a 34th classroom at two classrooms each for 17 high schools across the province. Aumentado has likewise persuaded Education Secretary Jesli Lapuz that the province will undertake the projects instead of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the DepED because of the high cost of their estimates on top of the supervision fees that their national, regional and district offices retain.

As such, the invitation to bid is being published in a local paper today and next Sunday. It is also posted at the Provincial General Services Office bulletin board, the Capitol façade and the Provincial Library. The governor said DPWH estimates make a classroom cost P450,000 to P500,000 each while the province can already build one for only P300,000. To note, Aumentado endorsed resolutions of the Provincial School Board (PSB) and the Provincial Development Council (PDC) to DepED. Assiduous follow-ups earned him Lapuz' green light. The 34 classrooms exclude those from another counterparting proposal that he submitted to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo up for implementation this year also.

The beneficiaries of the joint project with DepEd are the Calape High School, Cahayag High School in Tubigon, Clarin National High School of Fisheries, Southern Inabanga High School, Cangawa High School in Buenavista, San Jose National High School to comprise the second floor of its two-storey building in Talibon, Carlos P. Garcia High School in Talibon, CPG High School in Bien Unido, Camambogan High School and the San Pascual National Agricultural High School both in Ubay, Ubau Science High School, Alicia National High School, Pilar National High School, Katipunan High School in Carmen, Dagohoy High School, San Miguel High School and the Trinidad High School.

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