President Benigno Aquino III has approved a P2-billion additional funding for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to build more classrooms in public schools nationwide, bringing to P12 billion the total funding for the agency.
According to Pagcor, the country’s public education sector received one of the biggest Christmas presents from the agency this year.
Pagcor chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat Jr. is expected to formally turn over the allocation to Education Secretary Armin Luistro and Secretary Rogelio Singson of the Department of Public Works and Highways today.
Both the DepEd and DPWH are Pagcor’s partners in the school building program. DepEd identifies the schools with severe classroom shortage, DPWH constructs the school buildings and Pagcor provides the funding for the project.
Naguiat said the additional P2 billion for the “ Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan”projec will widen the project’s reach. Last April, the state- run gaming agency also released P3 billion for the school building program.
“All public school students—especially those living in remote communities nationwide— must have access to comfortable learning facilities. Quality education is the greatest gift that we can give them. By helping our government build sturdier classrooms for the youth, Pagcor became instrumental in shaping their future. This is also one of the best Christmas presents that we can offer them,” he said.
DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said that Pagcor’s additional funding for the schoolbuilding project only shows how the government values the education of the Filipino youth. “This additional P2 billion will help provide more comfortable learning venues to thousands of public school students. Hopefully, through this program, we can continue to inspire the Filipino youth to study well, realize their full potential and eventually do their part in building a better nation someday,” he said.
The turn-over of the P2-billion additional funding for the school building program.
coincided with PAGCOR’s grand Christmas party for 3,100 street sweepers, members of the
tricycle drivers and operators associations (TODA), senior citizens, solo parents and people with disabilities from Quezon City. These sectors were PAGCOR’s beneficiaries during the 11th day of its Pamaskong Handog 2015. The state-run gaming firm allocated P6.43 million for the event. Of this amount, P5.7 million was used to purchase noche buena gift packs containing ham, cheese, pasta noodles, cookies and other grocery items for the beneficiaries.