NEDA Board Approves PHP30.56-Billion Project to Rebuild Calamity-Hit Schools

MANILA – The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Board, led by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., has sanctioned a PHP30.56-billion project aimed at rebuilding and reconstructing school facilities damaged by calamities outside Metro Manila.

The Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools (ISRS) project, spearheaded by the Department of Education (DepEd), will be primarily financed through an official development assistance (ODA) loan from the World Bank-International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, according to a news release from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Wednesday.

“Of the PHP30.56 billion total project cost, PHP27.50 billion will come from loan proceeds, while PHP3.06 billion will be counterpart funding from the national government,” the PCO stated.

ODA loans provide low-interest, long-term, and concessional funds to support development projects in developing countries.

Scheduled for implementation from 2025 to 2029, the ISRS project will be executed by DepEd in collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Highways. It focuses on the repair, rehabilitation, retrofitting, and reconstruction of school facilities outside the National Capital Region that were damaged by various disasters between 2019 and 2023.

The initiative is set to benefit 1,282 schools, involving the refurbishment of 4,756 school buildings and 13,101 classrooms, thus impacting 741,038 learners.

Key components of the project include:

1. Relatively Simple Works for School Infrastructure Recovery and Operations and Maintenance – Allocated PHP9.65 billion, this component covers basic repair and maintenance of school facilities.
2. Relatively Complex Works for School Infrastructure Recovery – With a budget of PHP19.81 billion, this part of the project addresses more extensive reconstruction and retrofitting needs to enhance the resilience of school buildings against future calamities.
3. Project Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation – Allocated PHP1.1 billion, this component ensures effective oversight and assessment of the project’s progress and impact.

This significant investment underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing the safety and resilience of educational infrastructure, thereby providing a more secure learning environment for students affected by natural disasters.