The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on Wednesday, October 23, formally launched its newest flagship infrastructure projects that includes school buildings with a target to complete at least 1,200 classrooms in the next four years.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco announced the details of its new projects during the signing of a Joint Memorandum Circular with its partner agencies, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“In four years, we hope to build at least 1,200 classrooms or about 300 classrooms per year under this new infrastructure push as part of our commitment to nation-building,” Mr. Tengco said, adding that the agency will prioritize far-flung and remote communities.
Aside from the school buildings, Mr. Tengco said PAGCOR will also build 200 E-Learning Centers which will be built in areas with a high concentration of learning institutions.
Each E-Learning Center will have 48 computer stations with internet connection, making them as ideal hubs for online research and even for computer literacy courses.
A third leg of the flagship projects will be Health and Wellness Centers which will feature doctors’ offices and consultation rooms, dental clinics, vaccination rooms, treatment rooms and a multi-purpose area.
Mr. Tengco said PAGCOR will build at least 100 Health and Wellness Centers in the next four years nationwide to help bring quality healthcare especially in poor communities and local government units.
Lastly, Mr. Tengco said PAGCOR will build 50 Socio-Civic Centers which beneficiary LGUs can utilize as seminar and training venues as well as for hosting social and community gatherings that could potentially generate revenues for the beneficiary LGUs.
The multi-purpose Socio-Civic Centers can also be used as evacuation facilities during calamities and disasters.
“We want these projects to benefit as many Filipinos as possible because we believe that laying the groundwork for a stronger nation is not the sole responsibility of the education sector but should be a collective effort of agencies and organizations,” the PAGCOR chief said.
Under the memorandum circular, the DPWH will undertake the construction of the new PAGCOR flagship projects, while the DepEd will administer the schools and E-Learning Centers, including providing teachers and other personnel.
The signing of the joint memorandum was attended by DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan and DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara.
Secretary Angara said PAGCOR’s commitment to build more classrooms will be of great help to the education sector.
“Currently our classroom deficit is at 165,000. Napakalaking bagay po na ang PAGCOR ay magpapatayo ng ilang daang classrooms kada taon,” he said. “Nagpapasalamat kami sa PAGCOR at DPWH because these projects will definitely improve the learning experience our students.”
Secretary Bonoan also expressed his appreciation to PAGCOR for its “trust and confidence in DPWH to spearhead the construction school buildings and other facilities in various parts of the country.”
“This is going to be challenging but we are committed to face the challenges and complete these noble undertakings with PAGCOR and DepEd,” he said.
