“I can’t take looking at educational institutions on this state,” Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya’s reaction after seeing a flooded Sum-ag National High School (SNHS) during his visit last Friday.
The lawmaker, who inducted the officers of various organizations at SNHS, was shocked after seeing the stagnant water surrounding the school.
“I will request the Department of Public Works and Highways to evaluate, assess and make necessary recommendations on how to resolve this drainage problem. Because, this should not remain on this state as students, teachers, employees and everyone who are here is affected by this volume of water,” Gasataya said.
Gasataya said that he will request the national government to allocate budget to fund this project based on the DPWH’s recommendations.
On the part of DPWH, Engr. Jose Roger Macasero and his team also visited the school to look at its present situation and will evaluate how to resolve the problem.
SNHS’s ground is generally lower than the road level and surrounded by subdivisions and rice field behind it.
SNHS OIC Principal Ma. Cristina Doriman, on the other hand, is thankful to Cong. Gasataya as the long-time drainage problem of the school will finally be resolved.
Meanwhile, Gasataya also checked the ongoing school building constructions at SNHS. “I’m happy to say that the ongoing infrastructure projects here are already 80% done.”
*On the recent school building incident*
The lawmaker also said that he will ask the DPWH to conduct an investigation on the said incident. “Whether the project was initiated during my first term as a congressman or even prior to that, it should be investigated to determine the cause so that no similar incident will take place in the future,” he stressed.
It was recalled that on August 7, 2019, the ceiling of the SNHS Senior High building collapsed due to strong wind. A similar incident that happened to Domingo Lacson National High School last June 18 of this year./PR
Jerome Galunan Photo
