Negros Oriental gets 7 Silid Pangarap kindergarten bldgs

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines   —  Seven additional Silid Pangarap kindergarten buildings have been turned over by Education Secretary Armin Luistro and presidential sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada to the province of Negros Oriental on Tuesday.

The DepEd, with the help of Abellada's AGAPP Foundation and the Asian Development Bank-Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, built the new classroom buildings as part of its drive to "universalize kindergarten education."

The newly built Silid Pangarap buildings are at the Okiot Elementary School, the Bais Science Elementary School, the Sto. Tomas Elementary School, the San Miguel Elementary School, the Sta. Catalina Central Elementary School, the Candugay Elementary School and the Maloh Elementary School.

Luistro and Abellada were joined by Tatsuya Kanai, senior advisor of ADB Co-financing Operations, Karin Schelzig, senior social sector specialist/project officer of the ADB Human and Social Development Division, Dep Ed assistant secretary Jesus Mateo and provincial schools division superintendent Salustiano Jimenez, among others, during the turnover rites.

On hand to welcome them were Vice Governor Mark Macias, Bacong town Mayor Lenin Alviola, Provincial Board Member Arnie Teves and Angelo Tiongson, representing Governor Roel Degamo.

Abellada, chairperson of AGAPP, said they are committed to build 1,000 two-classroom Silid Pangarap kindergarten buildings in the country with the help of various donors. Sixteen of these buildings, or 32 classrooms, are intended for Negros Oriental, she said.

Several months back, Abellada and internationally-renowned Filipino-American rapper Allan Pineda Lindo, better known as Apl.De. Ap of the Black-Eyed Peas, led the turn-over of a Silid Pangarap building in the remote mountain village of Dawis in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.  (FREEMAN)