Education no longer a privilege - Braganza.
Local government units nowadays are doing its fair share in meeting the needs of the youth.
That’s exactly what the administration of Mayor Hernani A. Braganza had done remarkably for almost six years now.
And will definitely keep on doing for another 3 years especially in making quality education more accessible to the city and the nation’s future leaders.
Mayor Hernani A. Braganza, along with Dr. Oscar C. Tadeo, city schools division superintendent,signed the Memorandum of Agreement for the Establishment of Don Ildefonso Quimson Community High School in Barangay Tawin-tawin.
The school will soon cater to students of adjoining barangays in Area C namely Sta. Maria, Amangbangan, Dulacac, Landoc and host Tawin-tawin who are still walking or traveling as far as 6-10 kilometers daily to reach the nearest high school.
It was named after the donor of the one (1) hectare of land who acceded to the request of the barangay council to help put up an elementary school in their community.
Witnessing the MOA signing were city councilors Constante Carasi and Felimon Bacala Jr., Dr. Renato Viray, technical consultant on higher learning, division supervisors, city department heads, and Barangay Captains Abelardo Dela Cruz (Tawin-tawin), Isagani Ramos (Amangbangan), Gerry Ramos (Sta. Maria), Mila Payas (Landoc) and Danilo Ballesteros (Dulacac).
Also, Mayor Braganza and Dr. Tadeo inked the Deed of Donation for the Establishment of an Elementary School in Brgy. Linmansangan.
With a new school soon to rise in brgy. Linmansangan, Brgy. San Antonio is the only community in the city that is yet to have its own elementary school.
The Alaminos City Division (ACD) earlier said that it is not yet technically viable to put up a primary school in Barangay San Antonio.
But definitely, the city government and ACD will be working on it in the future once the number of students rapidly increases.
There are 39 barangays in the city which is divided into five areas or clusters. To date, only Area C is yet to have its own high school.
Area A hosts three high schools: one each in Inerangan, Cayucay and Polo. In Area B, the school is strategically located in brgy. Telbang. On the other hand, Area C has two high schools, one in brgy. San Vicente and another in brgy, Alos.
Alaminos City National High School is situated in Brgy. Poblacion of Area D.
"Finally, another dream of our people in the communities will soon become reality," Braganza said later in his speech.
According to the mayor, negotiations with the owner of the lot started during the time of former city mayor Eduardo Fontelera and Dr. Viray, then the division chief.
Brganza then thanked the barangay captains for doing their job well and the Alaminos City Division, the city’s long time and reliable partner, for fully supporting the project.
He also expressed his sincerest gratitude to the Quimson family for donating their lot to the city government as well as the city council for the inclusion of the funding of the project in this year’s city budget.
“Education is a right not a privilege," the mayor stressed. "And for that right to be realized, we have to work hard for it.”
“We, who were given the opportunity and privilege to serve the city of alaminos, have to make that happen to our children and our citymates. That is for every child to have equal access to education.”
Braganza said putting a school in Limansangan and Tawin-tawin is a must.
He cited that further delay in the establishment of said schools will only mean the students must have to sacrifice again during rainy and typhoon season just to reach their school.
Based on the studies of the city, at least eight cavans of rice or around P 8,000 a year is being spent by each student for the tricycle fair alone.
This is on top of the food allowance and other expenses which are basically an added burden on the shoulders of every parent.
This is the very reason why the Braganza administration is fast tracking its implementation this year so that education will not be a privilege anymore for children in this remote barangays.
And for the parents to save much money and time and will have a peace of mind in sending their children to school.
“We’ve been working hard for the past five years strengthening the foundations of education in our city," said Braganza.
He said his administration is trying its best to integrate the most basic kind of education in the city with the formal education system.
The city government had just completed the construction of seven daycare centers in the seven barangays which were constructed inside the elementary school premises.
Since 2004, the city government has implemented and is continuously implementing various educational reforms, programs and projects to address key issues affecting the quality of public education of its constituents.
It started an expanded feeding program in 2005 that it compasses not only the daycare centers but the elementary students to improve their nutrition and decrease drop-out rates.
“And we have the expanded scholarship program, internet connectivity for public schools and a well-established youth and sports development program which has far-reaching benefits to our young Alaminians,” noted the mayor.
Braganza pointed out that beyond quality education is relevant education.
“Our students must keep pace with the changing time and acquire the best learning so that when they graduate, they are equipped with the right knowledge and skills and be competitive in order to land a decent and better job.”
“That is the main reason why you are here today because your parents love you and they gave their best to provide you with the best kind of education that given you the opportunity to work in government and provide public service to our people."
“It is my dream to do the same for the children of Alaminos, so we have to unite and work hand in hand to realize our dreams and aspirations for our family.”
Dr. Tadeo, on the other hand, cited Mayor Braganza’s leadership and good governance.“What we have today in our city is a kind of leadership that solves problem in our communities,” he stressed.
“It is a leadership that cares. It truly cares because it tries to priorities the programs that it implements, forward looking, and involves the other members of organization. It cares because everybody has a hand in the planning and implementation,” he added.
“We are privileged to be a part of this partnership that solves the problems of our society foremost of which is poverty.”
The city division chief promised the city government that Alaminos City Division will complement the kindness and generosity of the people of Alaminos lead by Mayor Braganza by working hand-in-hand to improve its performance.
Meanwhile, Barangay captains Dela Cruz and Laureano Aglibot of Linmansangan both thanked the workaholic and visionary Mayor Hernani A. Braganza for initiating the project and funding the construction of the school and DepEd Alaminos led by Dr. Oscar C. Tadeo and city consultant Renato Viray for all the technical support and preparing all the necessary documents required by DepEd.
Dela Cruz said in recognition of the donor’s valuable contributions to the realization of said project, it will soon be named Don Leopoldo Quimson Community High School.
Aglibot, on his part, vowed to continue supporting the many programs of the city government particularly in agriculture development which have been beneficial to his fellow farmers.
Under the MOA, the city government will allocate funds from its 20% Development Fund, Special Education Fund and other possible sources to fund the phase I of the project.
The Alaminos City Division has favorably considered the proposal subject, however to the requirement of the Department of Education, one of which is the donation to it of a lot measuring at least one hectare.
The establishment of a new community high school and an elementary school is expected to practically solve the problem of accessibility to the learning institution in the barangays.
The project is also in support to the Philippine Medium-Term Development Plan and the city’s vision 2015 which seek to build a community inhabited by well-educated, healthy and God-centered citizens. (CIO)
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