TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 27 (PNA) -– Twenty school building projects under the DepEd School Building Program are now underway and being implemented by the 2nd Leyte Engineering District (2nd LED) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The ongoing construction of 20 school buildings comprises the second batch of the DepEd School Building Program which has been allocated a total amount of P25.5 million through the 2014 Regular School Building Program (RSBP).
Under DepEd’s Department Order 28 series of 2014, RSBP shall be allocated by legislative district in accordance with the allocation criteria mandated under Republic Act No. 7880.
The release of funds under the CY 2014 RSBP was made to the DPWH District Engineering Office (DPWH-DEO), following the allocation per congressional district with the corresponding list of schools, target number of projects and the types of buildings to be constructed, prepared by the DepEd and submitted to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
The Regular School Building Program specifically target schools, which are categorized under the Red zone, or those which have a ratio of 56 or more students to one classroom; and the Black zone, or schools which make use of makeshift classrooms and facilities.
Leyte Second Engineering District Engineer Carlos Veloso meanwhile assured that the ongoing school building projects in the second district are typhoon and earthquake-resilient which means “these would be able to withstand earthquakes with intensity 9 and typhoons with wind velocity of 300kph.”
“We need to anticipate extreme weather conditions. In these times of climate change, approach to construction and reconstruction should see a different approach particularly in designing and building climate change adaptable structures,” Veloso said.
He added that the office will enforce strict monitoring of the school buildings to be constructed to ensure that it follows the new calamity-resilient specifications.
The new design for school buildings will have bigger footing or base and thicker beams and columns. It now requires a tie beam even for a single-story school.
The structural enhancements on these calamity resilient classrooms have raised the cost of a complete one-story one-classroom building with basic features from P685,000 to nearly P1.1 million, or 60 percent more expensive, it was learned. (PNA)