GOV. Erico Aumentado's convergence strategy targets to build 34 more two-classroom school buildings each year starting this year at only P780,000 each.
Aumentado attributes the low cost of the project to the savings from the labor cost that the army shouldered.
the provincial government and the Department of Education (DepEd)
Now on its phase 2 of the school building construction program, the Provincial Engineer's Office has programmed five more projects to be implemented from June to July, while two were started this month and two were done from March to April.
In March the task force led by 1Lt. Polinar constructed a two-classroom school building in Cabul-an Island, Buenavista and the group of 1Lt. Macutay constructed another one in San Roque, Mabini.
In April, the group of 2Lt. Sinoy started constructing the school building for Kauswagan, Trinidad, while the group of Major dela Cruz started the one for Tomoc, San Miguel, and the group of TSG Manaay targets to finish by June the one in San Miguel, Dagohoy.
This month for Sierra-Bullones, the groups of Polinar and Macutay has started works on the project for Dusita and Bugsoc, respectively.
In June, the groups of Sinoy, dela Cruz, and Manaay will start working on the school buildings for Hingotanan Island in Bien Unido, Montesuerte in Carmen, ans Candungaw in San Isidro, respectively.
By July, the groups of Polinar and Macutay also aim to start working on the school buildings for Cayacay in Alicia and Aguining Island in CPG, respectively.
Earlier, it was reported on papers that they will be built at only P780,000 each - way below the going rate of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and even the DepEd itself.
To cover escalation and give the contractors a modest profit, the unit price has been increased by 30 percent over the Batch 1 price of P600,000. At the time, DPWH-built school buildings already cost from P1.2 million to P1.3 million, and DepEd - P1.5 million.
Their buildings however were substandard and incomplete compared to those built by contractors or the Philippine Army's Engineer Support Battalion (ESBn) following the plans and specifications prepared by the provincial government: each classroom has a 56-square-meter floor area, with toilet, power and water connections, blackboards and fully painted.
The DPWH or DepEd classrooms were smaller. In some instances, these had no toilets, were not painted and used substandard lumber.
PEO had already completed 11 school buildings undertaken by contractors, six are under construction and two were not yet started.
Those completed were in Buenavista High School in barangay Lubang, Talibon HSl in barangay San Jose, CPG High School in Talibon, Talibon Agricultural HS, Camambugan HS in Ubay, Union HS in Ubay, Lonoy Heroes in Jagna, Batuan HS, Camayaan HS and Japer Sta. Catalina High School in Sagbayan.
Under construction are those in Bugang High Schol in San Miguel, Inabanga HS in barangay San Jose, Clarin School of Fisheries, Anolong High School in Candijay, CPG High School in Bien Unido, and Lila High School. Still to start are those for Southern Inabanga HS, Nabuad HS in Inabanga, Catalino Casoyla HS in Talibon, and Catigbian Annex HS.