Probe of substandard school buildings sought

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines   – Local officials are appealing to Education Secretary Armin Luistro to look into school building projects at several schools here, as the materials used are reportedly unfit for coastal areas like this city.

City engineer Virginia Rosario informed Gloria Torres, school division superintendent, said she ordered the construction stopped for 58 classrooms in 11 schools for lack of permits, questionable structural integrity and safety issues.

The public-private partnership projects were undertaken by BF Construction.

Rosario told The STAR she found out about the projects when she and Mayor Belen Fernandez went to the Federico Ceralde Integrated School in Barangay Bonuan Binloc, where a two-story building was reportedly built without a permit. 

Rosario said the teachers complained about the lack of ventilation systems.

She said she told the school administrators not to use the building yet, since no structural analysis had been submitted to her office.

Aside from the village of Bonuan Binloc, Rosario ordered the project stopped in Bolosan, Bonuan Boquig, Carael, Malued, Pugaro, Sabangan, Salapingao, Tapuac, and in Judge Jose de Venecia Memorial National High School. “The students are in danger,” she said.

The substandard school buildings had been among the concerns raised at the first Dagupan City multisectoral summit on education last Aug.15.