MANILA: The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P4.5bn ($110m) to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the maintenance of classrooms and the construction of sanitation facilities, in line with the Aquino administration’s commitment to improve the quality of public education nationwide.
“This latest release will be used to cover the repair and rehabilitation of our classrooms, including the necessary construction of water sanitation facilities in elementary and secondary public schools all over the country. As we start the academic year this month, we are also moving closer to our goal of closing all educational resource gaps boosting our public education system in the process,” said Secretary of Budget and Management Florencio “Butch” Abad.
Abad reported that the P4.5bn—of which P1.1bn has been allotted to classroom maintenance and P3.4bn to sanitation facilities—was charged against DepEd’s fund for the Requirement of Basic Education Facilities under the 2013 General Appropriations Act.
The P1.1bn under the total release includes funding for classrooms in Region III (P122m), Region IV-A (P117m), and Region VI (P110m).
The release also includes P3.4bn for developing sanitation facilities in public schools nationwide, including those in Region III (P417m), Region V (P397m), and Region VI (P304m).
“Besides our commitment to build more classrooms and provide enough equipment and teachers in public schools, we are also making crucial investments in the health and well-being of our students. After all, better access to clean water facilities can help ensure better hygiene and disease prevention in our campuses,” he added.
Supporting the Administration’s goal of shoring up the country’s school system, the Budget department earlier approved 61,510 new teaching positions to keep pace with the increasing demand for teachers in public elementary and secondary schools nationwide.
Agencies
