By Ferliza C. Contratista
·
BANTAYAN, Cebu, October
22 (PIA)--- “In this world of imperfection, the acts of Ramon Aboitiz
Foundation (RAFI) and its partners are the ones closest to
perfection.”
This was the main point
of the speech of Cebu Provincial Governor Hilario Davide III in yesterday’s
turn over of classrooms and school buildings in Bantayan Island by RAFI and its
partners.
RAFI, he said,
has been a partner of the province of Cebu in various ways from traffic
management, infrastructure, and capacity building of important sectors.
But most notable, Davide
said, is the fast and quality assistance extended to the needs especially
educational needs of the children who were victims of typhoon Yolanda.
RAFI and its partners
were able to turn over 229 school buildings and daycare centers in four
municipalities yesterday, barely a year after the strongest typhoon to hit the
country ravaged majority of the northern towns.
There are at least
11,000 students from the municipalities of Daanbantayan in mainland Cebu and
Madridejos, Santa Fe, and Bantayan in Bantayan island.
“Today is a time for
celebration, for we had worked, joined hands and realized this project which
can last until these children reach their dreams and will have children of
their own,” RAFI president Roberto Aboitiz said.
The entire project costs
P218.95 million and P27.55 million was given by RAFI’s local and international
partners.
“We just want to be
proud to show that here in Cebu we had adopted a 'coalition model' of
partnership, where local government, private sector, and DepEd worked hand in
hand to achieve success,” Aboitiz said.
The Mayors of the three
towns all expressed gratitude for the extent of support by RAFI in almost all
endeavors.
“RAFI for us is our
'bugsay' (paddle) to get moving and 'suga' (torch) to inspire us,”
according to Bantayan Mayor Christopher Ian Escario.
There were 67 classrooms
and four day care centers under the project in Bantayan town.
In Santa Fe town, Mayor
Jose Esgana said they benefited P4.5 million worth of the project funded in
partnership with the League of Municipalities of the Philippines Cebu Chapter
and the International Labor Relations.
PCL provided skilled
workers and equipment while ILO gave cash for work fund for non-skilled
workers.
Department of Education
Undersecretary Mario Deriquito said the private sector like RAFI and its
partners move faster as they don’t have the tedious process to implement
projects.
“They also have the
capacity to build better classrooms. Partnerships like these brings hope
to the people,” Deriquito said.
Office for the
Presidential Assistance for Repair and Rehabilitation Panfilo Lacson, who witnessed
the turnover, said the government cannot do it alone.
Daphne Dale Pacifico, a
grade 3 pupil from Madridejos town, gave a declamation during the turnover
in Bantayan where she relayed her experience during the typhoon, seeing her
school all destroyed.
“Apan daghang salamat
RAFI kay imo kaming gitabangan, hayag na ang among kaugmaon (But thank you Rafi
for helping us, our future is now brighter)”, according to Pacifico.
Anthony Dignadace, RAFI
education development unit executive director, said the classrooms are now
designed to be more disaster-resilient compared to the old ones.
It now includes stronger
columns and beams, improved roof sloping, elevated flooring, lavatory and water
closet each classroom, roof insulation and natural ventilation.
These also have two
solid panel doors, jalousie windows, concaved blackboards, and two ceiling fans
in all classrooms.
Typhoon Yolanda affected
the northern towns last year with over P650 million damage in schools in the 14
affected municipalities. (rmn/FCC/PIA-Cebu)