Goldberg leads turnover of new classrooms in Leyte

PALO, Leyte, May 28 (PNA)- United States Ambassador to the Philippines Phillip Goldberg lead on Friday the turnover ceremony of two-storey 10-classroom building at Palo National High School, this town.

The school building is part of the 310 school building donation of the US government to the country’s rehabilitation effort in areas devastated by super typhoon Yolanda that struck some parts of Leyte and Samar islands on Nov. 8, 2013.

The school building was designed to withstand magnitude of 8.5 earthquake and typhoon with 360 kilometer per hour wind velocity. Each classroom is equipped with learning materials and ventilation to help students study in a conducive environment.

The 10 classrooms are part of the 199 classrooms that were already constructed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Construction is now ongoing for 111 classrooms.

USAID estimates that these school facilities will benefit more than 35,000 students once all are completed.

The US government allocated USD 143 million assistance to the post-Yolanda rehabilitation program implemented by USAID that covers school building and health center construction, livelihood assistance through aquaculture, agriculture, and community stores.

“The devastation was tremendous but the resilience of the people here and the ability to recover is remarkable,” said Goldberg, who had visited the province six times after the super typhoon in 2013.

“This is part of the more than 250 classrooms that the US Government through the US Embassy Manila’s USAID is building in Leyte province to help restore access to education. Not only education is basic human right but it is also a powerful resource that plays a critical role in poverty alleviation,” he added.

Goldberg added that the turnover was timely for the start of class next month.

Goldberg reminded students to study hard and use the building on how it is intended for them to become educated and land better jobs and contribute to better economy.

Palo National High School principal Nino Angelo Mendoza said that this donation would address classroom shortage with the two percent increase in enrollment in the new academic year.

The school’s enrollment has reached 1,000 with 600 of for Junior High School and 400 under Senior High School.

“This classroom donation will help in filling the gap of classroom shortage of the school,” Mendoza said.

Aside from the school building, students also received a water system that will provide potable water for the students, learning and educational instruction materials from Andrew High School in Illinois and school bags made from indigenous materials.

Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla thanked the American government for continuing helping typhoon devastated areas in the region, especially the education sector.

“What we do here is for the future of our children. This gives us a place, a shelter and protection and most importantly, this will not only for the education and welfare of our children. It also signifies the friendship of Filipino and American people,” Petilla said.

The ambassador and the governor inspected the new learning facility and conversed with some Grade 7 students.

After the turnover ceremony, Goldberg went to Bethel International School in Palo town to open the Training of Trainers Program, a program of the US Embassy in partnership with the Asian Soccer Academy Foundation, local government units and Department of Education.

The program is a sport-based capacity building training for six months. It will be participated by 100 students and 20 local teachers and coaches. (PNA)
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