4 Yolanda-destroyed school buildings reconstructed
By MIRIAM GARCIA DESCADA
TANAUAN, LEYTE, Philippines – Close to 700 elementary grade pupils of Sto. Niño Elementary School in this town became the beneficiaries of the newly re-constructed four school buildings, which were severely destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
The rebuilt school buildings, consisting of 10 classrooms, were set up on an elevated foundation a meter above the ground, and designed to withstand typhoons with winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, 25 percent more than the industry standard of 200kph, and up to the three hours of fire compared to the conventional one hour.
The schools’ rooftops are equipped with solar panels, capable of providing lights and powering teaching devices, according to Intel Foundation, which also turned over laptops, tablets and content access point for the teachers and pupils.
Intel also sent some of its employees from abroad, as volunteers to provide on-site Information and Communications Technology skills training to the teachers and students of this school.
Intel Foundation and Intel, headed by its country manager Calum Chrisholm, undertook the reconstruction of the school buildings in partnership with the Department of Education and the Philippine Business for Social Progress.
Chrisholm, who led in the turnover of the buildings to the Sto. Niño Elementary School, told The Freeman that, after Yolanda, the more than 2,400 Intel employees worldwide raised a total of US$375,000, or an equivalent of P15.6 million. The foundation matched the amount to fund the reconstruction of the destroyed schools.
“Intel is committed to providing sustainable and accessible education opportunities for the youth in the country and worldwide, after typhoon Yolanda, we are honored to make this contribution to build a better Sto. Niño Elementary School for the children in Tanauan, Leyte”, said Chrisholm.
Sto. Niño Barangay Chairwoman Benita Pagayanan, in a separate interview, thanked the foundation and its partners for “providing unselfish efforts and love to the barangay and its residents,” where 86 of them died during the Yolanda onslaught, six of them were pupils of the school.
DepEd district 1 Supervisor Lolita Legaspi reported that six more classrooms are now needed in her area of jurisdiction, especially in Tanauan, considering the rising number of enrollees today.
School principal Marlon Tangpuz said: “Intel’s support provided an opportunity for the children of Tanauan to enjoy a better Sto. Niño, changing the pupils’ learning environment and opening more opportunities for them in the future.”