BULAKAN, BULACAN, January 14, 2019 – His Excellency President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, together with Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, headed the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Gen. Gregorio Del Pilar National High School (NHS), and the presentation of the scale model of Pandi National High School (Virginia Ramirez-Cruz High School Extension) at the Gen. Gregorio Del Pilar Elementary School Compound in Brgy. Sta. Ana, Bulakan, Bulacan on January 10.

Joining the President and the Education chief in laying the time capsule for the construction of Gen. Gregorio Del Pilar NHS were Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato dela Peña, DepEd Undersecretary Alain Del Pascua, Assistant Secretary Revsee Escobedo, Region III Director Beatriz Torno, and Bulacan officials led by Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado.

“I am glad to join you today as we break ground on two secondary school facilities that will soon rise here in the province of Bulacan. Once completed, these buildings will serve as a testament to our commitment to invest in the potential of the youth,” the President relayed.

“These structures will promote their well-being, nurture their dreams, and become a breeding ground for future leaders of our country,” he added.

Another highlight of the event was the unveiling and presentation of the school building plan of Pandi NHS, as witnessed by First District Representative Jose Antonio-Sy Alvarado, Bulakan Mayor Patrick Meneses, and Pandi Mayor Celestino Marquez.

Briones acknowledged the local officials’ contribution to education: “Alam naman natin na hindi susulong ang layunin ng ating departamento or anumang aktibidades ng national government kung walang kooperasyon at suporta ang mga local governments. I would like to acknowledge the help, the inspiration, and the support of the local government and the provincial government who have been so supportive to all that we are doing.”

The two units of four-story school buildings of Gen. Gregorio Del Pilar NHS will have a total of 60 classrooms to be built on a 6,676-square meter lot. It is expected to house over 2,300 students up to Grade 12 after four years.

Expected to be completed in November this year, the project has an allocation of P161.4-M budget under the DepEd CY 2018 Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF), with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bulacan First District Engineering Office as the implementing agency.

The Pandi NHS project, meanwhile, has four units of four-story school buildings with a total of 80 classrooms, to be constructed on a 19,296-square meter lot. Set to be completed in October this year, the school to be built in Siling Bata, Pandi, Bulacan, has a budget allocation of P190.9 M.
The establishment of the said school buildings is expected to decongest the overpopulated secondary schools nearby.

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