The Department of Education, Department of Public Works and Highways-Baguio City District Engineering Office, and the city government of Baguio inspected three school building projects in the city to look into its structural integrity.
DepEd officials led by Usec. for Administration Alain Pascua and Cordillera Director May Eclar, Mayor Benjamin Magalong, and DPWH-BCDEO led by Engr. Rene Zarate inspected ongoing and completed projects of the Pines National High School-Senior High School Pagcor Building in Camdas, the Baguio City National Science High School in Irisan, and the Joaquin Smith National High School in Asin.
Pascua said the inspection is to look at the structural integrity to ensure more stable and properly constructed school buildings.
Pascua said DepEd officials including its engineers conducted inspection of the same buildings two years ago implemented by the DPWH. They made recommendations to ensure safety and integrity of the buildings once these are completed and used by students. Some of the recommendations were not implemented until some buildings were completed and turned over to the DepEd, Pascua said.
Magalong said they are conducting the joint inspection to show to the DepEd officials the real situation of the projects being undertaken in the city.
He said in the initial inspection made by the city government in the completed and ongoing school building projects in the city, they noted problems on structural integrity, defective facilities, dumping of wastes, and other issues.
The mayor said they want to make sure that school building projects are not sub-standard and are safe to be used by students and teachers once the education system is back to normal after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pascua said they will submit and discuss the recent observations with Education Sec. Leonor Briones and DPWH Sec. Mark Villar to reiterate the needed interventions to ensure the integrity and stability of the school buildings being done in Baguio City and in the different parts of the country. – Redjie Melvic Cawis
