The Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division Office (SDO) here met with its inter-agency
members together with the city’s 47 barangay officials and public school heads for the “Oplan Balik
Eskwela” (OBE) 2023 to devise ways for resolving frequent public concerns during the start of classes.
In the OBE convergence, DepEd Roxas City Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Roel Bermejo
acknowledged the importance of engaging agencies and other stakeholders for the opening of school
year 2023-2024.
“Amo ini ang rason kung ngaa naga convene kita into one venue para masigurado naton ang aton mga
kabataan nga mangin matalunsay ang ila pag-eskwela subong nga school year (This is the reason why
we convene in this venue, to make sure that our children will have a comfortable start of school
year),” Bermejo said, reiterating that education is everybody’s business and it takes a whole village to
educate a child.
Bermejo also recognized the efforts of the Local Government Unit officials headed by mayor Ronnie
Dadivas, and the Roxas City Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) officer Gino
Salamanca, who invited the 47 barangay officials to be part of the inter-agency convergence.
“Ari kita diri para i-dihon ang isa ka simple, pero workable nga plano paraa mangin matalunsay ang
pagbukas sang aton klase kag pag-operate sang aton 50 ka mga public schools sang syudad para sa
school year 2023-2024 (We are here to scheme a simple yet workable plan for a successful opening of
classes and for the smooth operation of the 50 public schools in the city for school year 2023-2024),”
dugang pa sini.
Concerns such as dangerous and entangled electrical wires, schools prone to flooding, safety
signages, and pedestrian lanes on the highways, are among the top concerns raised by the school
head.
Plaridel East Elementary School head Jocelyn Delos Reyes expressed her sincere thanks to mayor
Dadivas for granting their request of two classrooms for the kindergarten students and the traffic
management unit who responded to their request last year.
Delos Reyes also laid out other issues in their school, “Naga request kami sa Department of Works
and Highways (DPWH) nga kun pwede ma ubrahan sang pedestrian lane and sa tubang sang amon
school para ma avoid ang harm (We requested the DPWH to put up a pedestrian lane in front of the
school).”
“Sa Capiz Electric Cooperative (CAPELCO) kung pwede magpabutang sang poste kay during the
typhoon, nagakatumba ang sa kilid sang school kag may mga live wire. Delikado kay ang mga bata
medyo makulit, (We ask the CAPELCO if they can put up a new electric post because it falls during a
typhoon and there are live wires which are dangerous for the students),” Delos Reyes added.
DPWH Capiz 1st Engineering Office officer-in-charge engineer Cecil Lawrence M. Cruz stated that they
will look into it and provide signages and pedestrians to the schools.
Further, CAPELCO engineer Ian Senosa said that since August 23, he started visiting the schools, and
saw that there are no proper installation and implementation of electrical wirings.
“As what I’ve seen very concerning gid ang mga installations sang electrical lines sa mga schools (As
what I have seen, the installation of electrical lines in the schools is very concerning. It seems that
there is no electrical plan during the installation and proper implementation of electrical wirings,”
Sensosa added.
He also reiterated that if the schools need help, they can consult the electrical engineers in the City
Engineering’s Office.
“Still, if they need CAPELCO’s help, they can always write a letter to help them access the electrical
lines in the schools,” noted Sensosa.
For his part, Roxas City mayor Ronnie Dadivas through City Councilor Herbert Chu, extended the full
support of the local government through the local school board for the Oplan Balik Eskwela for giving
around P100,000,000.00 for its annual budget.
“Rest assured that this project is for all, we included numerous learners support programs, arts and
culture programs, technology programs, and even projects to help make the Roxas City educational
experience not only efficient and effective but also fun for our students,” Dadivas added. (PIA Capiz)
