School bldgs. bubuhusan ng pondo ng DepED

PLANO ng Department of Education (DepEd) na buhusan ng pondong aabot sa P100 bilyon ang pagpapatayo ng school buildings mula sa budget nila para sa 2014 at 2015.

“We are happy to mention that, for the 2014 and 2015 budgets, as of this quarter, we have already identified the school buildings. And as we speak, we are starting documentation of the 2016 school building projects, so that, once the 2016 budget is approved, by January we can start working with haste before the construction ban [in view of the upcoming election period],” pahayag ni DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro.

“Even if there are what you may call hiccups with these delays, we are confident that (projects for) 2014 and 2015 are in place. We are hoping there will be no major failure in the biddings,” aniya pa.

Tinatayang P44 bilyon ang natitira pang hindi nagagamit sa budget ng DepEd para sa school buildings sa ilalim ng 2014 budget, habang tinatayang P53.88 bilyon ang natitira pa sa ilalim ng 2015 budget, ayon kay Luistro.

Para sa 2016, ang DepEd’s budget proposal ay umaabot sa P433.47 bilyon, tumaas ng P66.35 bilyon mula sa 2015 budget na P367.12 bilyon.

Ang proposed budget ay gagamitin para sa pagkuha ng karagdagang 40,000 guro para sa senior high school at 25,000 pa para sa kinder hanggang grade 10.

ROWENA DELLOMAS-HUGO