CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—A new two-story four classroom building was turned over by SM Foundation to the Macasandig Elementary School in Cagayan de Oro City.
Constructed by SM Prime Holdings, its formal turnover came two days after its blessing, which coincided with the monthly Eucharistic celebration in the school. Intentions for SM Group of Companies were offered during the Mass in thanksgiving for the generous donation. Rev. Fr. Janusz N. Burzawa, SJ officiated the blessing ceremony.
The fully furnished school building comes with student desks, blackboards, teachers’ tables and chairs, electric fans and toilets. It has specially-designed armchairs for left-handed students. The classrooms will be used by 200 Grade 3 students. Among them are 20 left-handed students who were overjoyed with the innovation.
Prior to the blessing and formal turnover, GPTA officers and parents, mostly of Grade 3 students helped clean the new classrooms despite the rains brought about by a low-pressure area. They were led by school principal Rosemarie Dullente.
Coincidentally, the Department of Health and the local government of Cagayan de Oro also scheduled a thermal fogging and indoor residual spray. Dr. Josie Ibalio, Regionall Head of DOH’s Vector-borne Diseases Program who led the Dengue-Free team was overheard saying “That’s a beautiful building.”
She was proudly told by Ms. Juris Soliman-Umali, SM Foundation’s School Building project coordinator, “That’s the SM School Building which we will turn over to the Macasandig Elementary School tomorrow.”
The flogging and spraying will ensure the school building will not only be mosquito-free for six months but also free from other insects that are carriers of diseases.
Present during the turnover ceremony were local government officials led by Mayor Oscar Moreno, SM Foundation Executive Director for Education Carmen Linda Atayde,
SCMC VP-Regional Operations in Mindanao, SM CDO Premier and SM CDO Uptown officers, DepEd officials, GPTCA President Rod Angcod Jr., and representatives from local media.
Through its school building program, SM Foundation and its partners help address the dearth of classrooms in public elementary and high schools.