DepEd acts on reported substandard buildings
THE decision of the Dagupan City Engineering Office to stop and suspend the construction of school buildings being built under the Public-Private Partnership for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP) program has prompted the Department of Education (DepEd) to initiate its own investigation.
Reacting initially to 4th District Rep. Gina de Venecia’s call for an investigation, DepEd Undersecretary Francisco Varela has asked for a report from MOHRI P.A. and Associates Inc., an independent consultant for PSIP, on the structural integrity concerns of the school buildings by city officials.
Varela said he is awaiting the report from Architect Tito Moises Encinas, project director/president MOHRI, after he cited the serious concerns specifically on “the structural integrity of the buildings, the safety of the students and the lack of building permits of BFEFI (Bright Future Educational Facilities, Inc. which undertook the school building projects) in the city”.
Earlier, City Engineer Virginia Rosario ordered a stop to the construction of about 58 classrooms supposed to be built in 11 school sites after her attention was called during a multi-sectoral summit among teachers and parents two weeks ago.
Rosario directed BF Construction under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to stop the construction failing to secure building permits from her office even as she cited questions on the structural integrity of the buildings that put at risk the safety of pupils.
The city engineering office said corrosive materials which are unfit for a coastal area like Dagupan were used.
Rosario had advised the school administration of Federico Ceralde Integrated School in Bonuan Binloc village not to use the finished building until the issues on the structural integrity of the building shall have been resolved.
De Venecia immediately relayed the concerns to the DepEd and asked the latter to act on the problems raised. (Tita Roces)
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