Group rebuilding Bohol schools

CEBU, Philippines - Some students in the towns of Maribojoc and Loon, Bohol would soon stop having classes in makeshift tents.

This, after the Oplan Bangon Bohol (OBB), in a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday, disclosed that one classroom would be built at the Sacred Heart

Aya Maceda, Filipino-Australian architect, said they wanted to start the project based on "vernacular" architecture, where materials used are sourced locally.

A prototype of the classroom, which would cost P1 million, would be built next year.

"We believe once we build one prototype, it would be easier for us to actually raise funds because the people saw that we built it. It's there," said Bb. Pilipinas-World Anna Maris Igpit, one of the OBB convenors.

She said their original cost projection for a classroom was jut P500,000, but it rose to P1 million so the structure would adhere to standards set by the Department of Education (DepEd).

She also said that the final plan of their project has yet to be endorsed to DepEd.

Atty. Greggy Delgado, also an OBB convenor, is hoping that the project would spur other organizations to join the initiative.

"We cannot build all the classrooms. We are hoping that this would be a catalyst for others to help the reconstruction of classrooms in the province," he said.

Delgado said 141 classrooms in Bohol were damaged while 95 were destroyed by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the province on Oct. 15, causing the death of  more than 200 persons.

Saint Vincent Institute's faculty and staff, together with Maribojoc parish priest Fr. Warren Abarquez, expressed their thanks to the group.

"For sharing with us this one of a kind blessing of constructing decent classrooms for us to stay, to you and your loved ones, thank you," Abarquez said, after narrating his experience with the earthquake.

Igpit said they chose Maribojoc and Loon since these areas were greatly ravaged by the quake, adding that they also opted for the construction of parochial schools since OBB falls under the education cluster of the province's disaster risk reduction management body.

The organization is positive that it can raise more funds next year.

"We have our funding now. We have donations coming in the start of next year so we can actually fund one prototype per town," Igpit said.

OBB, organized after the earthquake, is a brainchild of Association of Young Boholano Profession in Metro Manila, Inc.

During its first phase of extending humanitarian efforts for the earthquake survivors, the organization gave out 10, 000 food packs to more than 60 barangays and over 20 towns in Bohol. (FREEMAN)