The Department of Education (DepEd) signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the construction of around 1,500 classrooms worth P2B.
DepEd Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC said, “Our vision is to be a pillar of national development in investing in education. Over the past years, PAGCOR has made substantial changes to ensure that part of vision is really implemented.”
Luistro expressed his gratitude to the agencies that continue to help in ensuring that “Filipino students get what they deserve.” He said, “We want to thank PAGCOR for being the biggest and most consistent partner in substantially investing in education, and DPWH for ensuring that school buildings will have building integrity.”
“Classrooms are the most basic social infrastructure that we should continue to provide all over the country,” DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said. He added that DPWH will deliver their commitment in building classrooms that are safe and beneficial for the students.
PAGCOR Chairman Cristino Naguiat, Jr. said, “Kami ay nagagalak na kami ay kabahagi kami ng DepEd para sa aming project na “Matuwid na Daan para sa Paaraalan.” Naguiat reiterated PAGCOR’s commitment in the continued delivery of education to the learners.
He said that PAGCOR believes that the future of the country lies in the youth. “The classrooms we are going to build are for them. Tuluy-tuloy po ang ating pagtulong sa DepEd. Hindi po tayo nagtatapos dito. Makakaasa po kayo na may karagdagan pa ito—either sa school buildings or computers. Let us work together for the dreams of our youth to be realized.”
The classrooms to be built will be constructed by DPHW in accordance to the “build-back better” design with specific PAGCOR design elements. PAGCOR shall designate certain locations based on DepEd’s data on classroom needs which will be prioritized for the construction of classrooms