Busay, Sapangdaku schools by December
Barangay volunteers help carry arm chairs and other furniture from the Sapangdaku Elementary School to the barangay hall. (CDN Photos/Tonee Despojo)
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he wants the elementary schools in barangays Busay and Sapangdaku to each have new school buildings by December.
“For Sapangdaku, we can’t wait for another disaster to happen. But Sapangdaku is better than Busay since here, there is already a building and there are people watching the children,” the mayor said after he inspected the flood-prone and landslide-prone areas yesterday.
Rama said he has to check where to get funding for the new building.
He said it may be sourced from the city’s disaster fund, special education fund, or may be included as an item in a supplemental budget.
Since Wednesday last week, classes for Sapangdaku Elementary School have been held at the barangay hall.
Rama ordered the closure of the school last week after floods forced the suspension of classes following a heavy downpour.
After inspecting the nine temporary classrooms set up in the barangay hall, Rama ordered private contractors Dakay Construction and WTG to re-layout the barangay hall and build new entrance and points.
He also ordered the Local School Board (LSB) and the barangay officials to look for a place within the barangay that could be used to relocate either the school or the barangay hall.
“If there is no available lot, we can buy a house with a lot and it can be converted into a barangay hall or a new school. It should have extra space so we can make extensions,” Rama said.
Students were crammed in the barangay hall’s makeshift classrooms on the second and third floors.
Classes were suspended in Busay Elementary School since Friday last week.
Construction is ongoing at barangay Busay’s sports complex located near the highway.
Children have to trudge down a 200-meter downward slope from the highway to get to school.
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