Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III hailed Filipino teachers as “pillars of society” and reaffirmed the government’s push to accelerate the construction of classrooms nationwide to support quality education.
In a speech delivered during the 21st founding anniversary of the Schools Division Office of Cauayan City on Friday, Dy expressed gratitude for their roles in shaping the country’s youth and strengthening communities.
“Every time na meron akong opportunity na makaharap ang ating mga guro, gusto ko laging magpasalamat sa inyo dahil kayo ang haligi ng ating lipunan na dahil po sa inyo nagiging maayos, matatag ang ating mga kabataan (Every time I have an opportunity to face our teachers, I always want to thank you because you are the pillar of our society. Because of you, our youth become disciplined and strong),” Dy said.
The Speaker from Isabela province stressed that building the nation’s future is a shared responsibility.
“Merong tungkulin ang ating mga guro at meron din tungkulin ang ating mga magulang, ang ating mga mamamayan. Kaya tayo po ay magtulungan para matiyak natin at masiguro natin na maganda ang kinabukasan ng ating mga kabataan (The teachers, parents and the community each have their own responsibility. That’s why we need to cooperate to ensure that the future of our youth is bright),” he added.
Dy also highlighted ongoing national efforts to address the shortage of classrooms, saying stronger coordination between the national government and local government units (LGUs) is key to improving school facilities.
He noted that LGUs have been empowered to work alongside the Department of Education (DepEd) under the leadership of Secretary Sonny Angara in implementing the program of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to build and complete much-needed classrooms across the country.
Dy said adequate learning facilities will allow teachers to focus on nurturing the abilities of Filipino students.
The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Culture recently approved a bill establishing the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program, a measure aimed at fast-tracking the construction, repair and upgrading of public school classrooms.
The proposal seeks to mobilize the resources of the national government, LGUs and the private sector to address the country’s persistent classroom shortage.
Under the bill, DepEd will serve as the lead implementing agency and may partner with qualified LGUs and accredited private entities to build, repair or rehabilitate classrooms in their respective areas.
The measure also mandates the creation of a national school congestion mapping system to identify schools facing severe classroom shortages and prioritize the construction of new facilities.
Lawmakers said the initiative reflects a whole-of-nation approach to solving the classroom backlog and ensuring that teachers have the facilities they need to help Filipino learners succeed. (PNA)