The DepEd-funded four-storey building with 24 classrooms was turned over to Concepcion Gallentes, School Principal of the Tagbilaran City Central Elementary School (TCCES) by Jernigal G. Cempron, contractor of Cempron Construction & Development.
Joseph Irwin Lagura, Schools Division Superintendent, DepEd Tagbilaran City, said that this project, funded by the Department of Education, was implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). These 24 classrooms are a big help since the TCCES is one of the biggest schools in Tagbilaran city and has a large enrollment. This building replaced six old classrooms and will enable the school to serve more students.
Lagura thanked the DepEd, especially Undersecretary Atty. Revsee A. Escobido, who sourced the national funding; the provincial government; the office of the 1st congressional district; and Mayor Jane Censoria Yap, who helped to make the project a reality.
Mayor Jane Censoria Yap noted that Tagbilaran City is blessed with the turnover of this new building for the Tagbilaran City Central Elementary School. She and everyone involved extended their gratitude to Vice President Sarah Duterte through Atty. Escobedo, DepEd Undersecretary, for giving the people of Tagbilaran this big building for elementary school children. She emphasized that education has the power to transform lives through the knowledge and skills students acquire in school. She wants this positive transformation for the thousands of students in Tagbilaran City to prosper. And she wants children to have the opportunity to improve themselves, for them to have a fighting chance to reach their dreams, and for them to envision themselves as successful members of society.
Furthermore, she assured everyone in attendance that the Tagbilaran City Government will continue to provide students with adequate classrooms and facilities, learning materials, and quality education. Mayor Yap also said that all the awards that the City Government had received are but preparatory groundwork to provide for more job opportunities for the students of Tagbilaran City when they graduate. She envisions that graduates would stay in the province to work instead of going away from their families to look for work elsewhere. Moreover, she is very confident that due to the strong cooperation of the Office of Governor Aris Aumentado, the Office of 1st district Cong. Edgar Chatto, and the City Government of Tagbilaran, this won’t be the last blessing of classrooms. There will be more to come.
In an interview, Anne Mariquit Deriquito Oppus, Chief of Staff (Internal) of the province, said that Gov. Aris Aumentado underscores the importance of education and creating a conducive environment for students to learn important life skills. In his statement during the school board meeting, Gov. Aris Aumentado emphasized that “children are our priority” in development, and that the province needs to “give adequate services towards a future they deserve.”
In her speech, Chief of Staff Oppus shared that Gov. Aumentado ardently said, “let us always remember, that first and foremost we have to invest in our children, and needless to say much of that is built here in the area of education.” The turnover of this school building is a manifestation of the government’s intent to work hard to provide different quality social services they deserve.
Ms. Oppus believes that the best sign of an educated society is the way it treats its children. She said, “So lets take a look at what we provide our children, what we can do to not just provide them with proper or the best education but to provide the opportunities that they soon will have to inherit. Much of that actually is going to be a result of what we are going to do today.”
She assured that the provincial government of Bohol is committed to provide children with the best education and giving them opportunities for a better future. Furthermore, she said that the governor is looking at how best to help parents. The government’s provision of education is issues-based and demand-driven. It considers parents as the best resource persons when it comes to education, especially of the young.
She emphasized that fulfilling the right of our youth to education is something that everyone must ensure to give our students and our children a brighter future. And she encouraged everyone in attendance that the provincial government of Bohol through the leadership of the Honorable Governor Aristotle Aumentado, is always ready to support the different initiatives and projects to further enhance our students and give our students the future that they deserve.
Congressman Edgar M. Chatto said in an interview that he was very happy that another classroom building was added to TCCES, which is a showcase in the field of education in the division of Tagbilaran. He said that since the creation of the division of Tagbilaran during his term as congressman, all the services of the Department of Education have expanded. Moreover, he noted that the DepEd superintendent of Tagbilaran was the one who directly coordinated with the Tagbilaran City Mayor. He congratulated the City Government, from the time of Mayor Baba to the time of Mayor Jane, together with the Superintendent of Schools Erwin Lagura, the teachers, and parents for receiving this new building, which is the biggest infrastructure in the City Division.
He also said that in Congress, during their budget hearings, they had received requests to increase the number of school buildings because many were destroyed by typhoon Odette, and because of the increase in enrollment.
Other attendees of the activity were the Tagbilaran Schools division and Tagbilaran City Central Elementary School staff. This turn-over activity was held at the TCCES Covered Court on Nov. 24, 2022. (PiMO/MAEP)
