The Senate today approved on third and final reading a bill mandating the establishment of three schools in Zamboanga del Sur, Southern Leyte and Navotas in Metro Manila; the separation of a school annex into an independent school; the renaming of a school; and the conversion of two integrated schools.
Sen. Pia Cayetano, chairperson of the Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, said the establishment of schools would help improve the delivery of quality education in the country.
Cayetano emphasized that her committee has already undertaken significant education reforms and will continue to work towards making quality education accessible to all Filipinos. She said three new national high schools would be established in Dumalinao, Zamboanga Del Sur; Libagon, Southern Leyte and Navotas, Metro Manila, respectively.
“The establishment of new schools would help decongest existing schools that are currently overcrowded, as well as alleviate the burden for students who would otherwise need to attend schools in farther localities,” she said.
Cayetano said that Kabugao Agro-Industrial High School – Lenneng Annex in Apayao would be separated into an independent school “to enable these institutions to better serve their constituents and provide quality education.”
Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, who co-sponsored House Bill No. 1841, said the Batasan Hills National High School in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City shall be renamed Corazon C. Aquino National High School in honor of the late President Corazon C. Aquino.
“Renaming of the Batasan Hills National High School to Corazon C. Aquino National High School would give homage to an icon of democracy in the Philippines,” Recto said in his sponsorship speech.
Cayetano said two schools in Iloilo, the Andres Bonifacio Elementary School in Barangay Jalandoni-Wilson and Bakhaw Elementary School in Barangay Bakhaw, would be known as the Andres Bonifacio Integrated School and Bakhaw Integrated School, respectively. (PRIB – MaeJoy Albano-Miranda)