Cojuangco leads “Save Bayambang Central School” campaign
COJUANGCO UPDATES
BAYAMBANG—Concerted efforts are being made by concerned individuals who pledged P1.4 million and 1,050 armchairs for the use of pupils displaced by the sudden relocation of Bayambang Central School (BCS) in Zone 3 to Barangay Bical here.
First to pledge financial support for the “Save Bayambang Central School” camppaign was former Fifth District Rep. Mark Cojuangco who committed to give P1-million from his personal funds.
The Samahang Industriya at Agrikultura (SINAG) led by Engr. Rosendo So pledged P400,000.
The P1.4-million initial fund will be used for repairs of schoolrooms that were left neglected when about 2,000 pupils of BCS were transferred to a new but temporary school site. Cojuangco and So are appealing to more Good Samaritans to help save the centennial school.
Former Fifth District Rep. Mark Cojuangco and SINAG officials led by Engr. Rosendo So hold a dialogue with Parents-Teachers Community Association officers and members of Bayambang Central School who sought his help for the return of their children to the old school site.
Donations kept pouring in since Wednesday, according to So, as no less than Sen. Cynthia Villar, former Pangasinan 3rd district Rep. Rachel Arenas a and her mom-successor Rep. Rosemarie Arenas, Abono party list and Durian Tan, chairman emeritus of SINAG promised to give 200 armchairs each.
Those who pledged to give 50 armchairs each were DCS Trading, Samson Agri, a certain Munoz Macam, Maring Agri, Sharon Tan from Foremost Farm and an anonymous donor for a total of 1,050 armchairs as of Thursday morning. About 2,009 armchairs are needed by the school.
“I was surprised because we just had a meeting with Senator Villar with SINAG composed of 31 agricultural groups about an investigation for pork and chicken smuggling and donations suddenly started pouring in,” So said.
So said the urgency to provide for repair costs and armchairs came following an ultimatum given by the owner of the temporary relocation site for 14 days issued last week for children and teachers to go back to the old school site. This, after protests to the reported swap deal allegedly entered into by the local government unit here and businessman William Chua, owner of the relocation site.
Cojuangco and Calasiao Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay join in the symbolic painting of an abandoned classroom as a sign of hope for the return of the pupils.
So and Cojuangco , who were approached by Parents –Teachers Community Association President Filipinas Alcantara for help, welcomed the decision of the property owner to make the BCS return to the old site since it is what most parents and teachers have been clamouring for.
The transfer to the new site in October last year was met with strong protests by teachers and parents.
Mayor Ricardo Camacho, backed by a Sangguniang Bayan resolution, ordered the temporary transfer after Danilo Lopez, then the school principal, urged the LGU to relocate the school due to increasing threat of dengue and flooding in the area.
Instead of repairing the school and doing remedial measures like fumigation to fight dengue, the school site was completely abandoned that resulted in loss of the school’s properties.
Concerned parents and teachers had long expressed their desire to return to the old site due to additional financial burden on account of their higher transportation expenses to the new location.
So said he hopes the planned swap will not materialize after a Congressional inquiry on the controversial swap deal is completed.
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