On our way going downtown, we usually pass by the interior road in Bangkal, Davao City before turning right towards MacArthur Highway. Specifically we use the road at the back of Davao Special Education School Elementary Department.
Of late we have noted that other than the drainage system that is undergoing construction we also see the expansion of the road from the Tahimik area up to the junction of C. P. Garcia Diversion road. The expansion is roughly 1.5 meters on each side although from the looks of it, we can deduce that only one side is being expanded. We may be wrong but that is our gut feel.
It is by our frequent passing by the area that we see the sorry state of the old one-level buildings of the supposed most elite public school in Davao City. The buildings are basically buried up to the windows probably because of the continued earth-filling of the road behind the school.
For now, the buildings are apparently not hosting any classes at all. The galvanized iron roofs appear to be in bad state and could be blown away if stronger winds occur in this part of the city.
Based on statements given by some teachers and students, the old school buildings were to have been demolished starting this school year to give way to new multi-story edifices that can accommodate the present number of students whose classes used to be housed in the old structures f the Marcos type vintage.
In fact many think that indeed construction was to have started during the early months of classes for the present school year. What with the school management advising the parents that classes would be broken in two sessions. That is, one in the morning from 6 a.m. to 12 noon, and another in the afternoon from 1 o’clock p.m. to 6 in the early evening.
The new schedule was taken by the teachers, parents and students themselves as indication that indeed, the replacement buildings will finally be erected. Naturally the parents, teachers and students were in celebration mode after hearing of the plan to divide the classes in two sessions.
But lo and behold, the initial euphoria is already fading out. And the students and their parents may be right. They already lost the reason to rejoice. For how could they? Their long-dreamt buildings appear to be melting over hot air. We are afraid that the budget for the purpose could have been lost or transferred to other more important and juicy projects. Hence, close to several years of waiting, the proponents of the project might have thought the SPED elementary students do not deserve better classrooms at this point in time.
May be it is already long overdue to give justice to the school’s carrying the “special” in its name. Why cannot officials of the Department of Education City Schools Division, and the regional Office of the agency lift their asses and go see the school compound and check whether the special school is worth the tag?
That is probably the reason why some parents of students of the school we have talked to expressed to us their envy of the other elementary schools like Catalunan Grande, Mintal, Tacunan, Bangkal and many others.
They claim that the schools mentioned are beneficiaries of new buildings that consist of rooms more than the required by the number of students in those educational institutions.
Well, these schools may be the lucky ones. And they do not even carry the tag “Special School” of Davao.
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And here we are again. We just cannot help but sound like a broken record in repeatedly harping on the issue about the various white elephant components of the many overpass projects in Davao City. And why is this? It is because we always had the opportunity to pass by areas where the overpass projects with elevator component in it are erected.
We are really saddened looking at the overpass in Buhangin crossing the road leading to the Davao Airport. The last time we saw it, the door of the elevator shaft at the top was dangerously open. Should anyone using the overpass in crossing the road be reckless up there, he or she could fall.
Meanwhile, on its other end, the elevator door was wide open on the ground. And what caught our attention were the piles of destroyed boxes onside the shaft.
Meanwhile, the elevators installed in the Calinan and Mintal overpasses have remained unutilized until now. We are not aware if the ones in Toril and Tibungco have elevators too. But if these have, then we can also be certain that the lifts are also laying idle since the supposed completion of the overpass projects.
For now the lifts could possibly be non-operational. What with the number of years of non-use taking its toll on the mechanisms of the equipment!
What a waste of people’s money.
May be we have to ask again: Haven’t officials of government agencies concerned with the construction of overpasses ever checked on these projects after these were turned over? Or, they just do not want to be reminded of something that could pinch their conscience, assuming that they still have any?
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