The province of Negros Oriental yesterday received seven more “Silid Pangarap” kindergarten classroom buildings in ceremonies led by Secretary Armin Luistro of the Department of Education, and Presidential sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada, chair of the Aklat, Gabay, Aruga tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa Foundation.

The DepEd built the seven buildings through the help of AGAPP and the Asian Development Bank-Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, as part of its drive to “universalize kindergarten education”.

The buildings are at the Okiot Elementary School, the Bais Science ES, the Sto. Tomas ES, San Miguel ES, Sta. Catalina Central ES, the Candugay ES, and the Maloh ES.

Luistro and Abellada were joined by Tatsuya Kanai, senior advisor of ADB Co-financing Operations-JFPR, Karin Schelzig, senior social sector specialist/project officer of the ADB Human and Social Development Division, DepEd Assistant Secretary Jesus Mateo, and Negros Oriental provincial schools division superintendent Salustiano Jimenez, among others, at the turnover rites.

The team went first to the Okiot ES in Bais City, then to the San Miguel ES in Bacong town for the blessing, inauguration and ceremonial turnover of keys and a brief program.

Welcoming them were Vice Governor Mark Macias, Bacong Mayor Lenin Alviola, Board Member Arnie Teves, Angelo Tiongson representing Gov. Roel Degamo, DepEd and school officials.

Luistro said universalizing kindergarten is a priority of the Aquino administration, with the AGAPP volunteering to help. AGAPP had continued to aid the Department in addressing classroom needs for the past four years and they do not only build classrooms but also foster hope among the learners.

Abellada said they are committed to build 1,000 two-classroom kindergarten buildings in the country with the help of donors and 16 buildings are for Negros Oriental. Abellada and internationally-renowned Filipino-American rapper, Allan Pineda Lindo, better known as Apl.De. Ap of the Black-Eyed Peas, led the turnover of a Silid Pangarap building in Brgy. Dawis, Bayawan City in Negros Oriental early this year.

ADB-JFPR senior advisor Tatsuya Kanai, who greeted the crowd with some local dialect phrases, said that the cooperation of government, private partners and residents of beneficiary provinces led to the successful completion of the classroom-buildings.

San Miguel ES principal Maria Melba Real thanked the group for choosing the school as recipient of the program. The old kindergarten building was destroyed by the earthquake February 2012, she said, adding that the school has 96 kindergarten pupils, of its 705 total population, who come from barangays San Miguel, Doldol and Buntis in Bacong, and Bulak in Dauin.*JFP

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