Zamboanga City - - Education Secretary Jesli Lapus has vowed to help pull resources with Mayor Celso Lobregat and District I Congresswoman Beng Climaco for the construction of the Zamboanga City Schools Division Office building at a property owned by the Zamboanga City State Polytechnic College in Baliwasan.

Lapus had the chance to see the proposed site of the building during a visit of different school building projects being undertaken by the city government, together with Mayor Lobregat Wednesday.

The proposed construction of the Division Office of the Department of the Education is a joint effort of Mayor Lobregat, who worked doubly hard for the provision of the lot and Cong. Climaco, who is allocating P15 million for the building.

Sec. Lapus promised to provide the balance for the over P30 million project, as he pleaded Congress to restore DEPED’s funding for offices which was subjected to cuts during the last session of the House of Representatives.

He expressed elation over the joint efforts being exerted by the mayor and the congresswoman paving the way for the realization of the project.

He said the DEPED will also do its best to ensure that the project is fully realized stressing that Zamboanga City is one of the only two areas in the country which has no Division Office.

As this developed, Mayor Lobregat and Cong. Climaco yesterday afternoon led in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Division Office at the Zamboanga City State Polytechnic College (ZCSPC) in Baliwasan.

The project will rise in a 1, 214 square meter property, which Lobregat was able to secure through a usufruct agreement entered into by the ZCSPC, Cong. Climaco and the Division Office under City Schools Supt. Lourdes Alcantara.

An old building, being used as the laboratory of Grade 5 and 6 pupils and shop of high school students, is currently existing in the said property. In exchange for the said building, Lobregat has ordered the construction of a 2-storey 8 classroom building at a cost of P7.6 million in an adjacent lot. The said project is set to be completed in a few months from now.

Through Lobregat’s representation, the ZCSPC Board of Trustees has allowed the perpetual use of the property by the Division Office.

Lapus was in the city last Wednesday to keynote the turnover ceremony of the newly renovated “Gabaldon” building at the Zamboanga (East) Central School with P7.8 million funding from the city government under the administration of Mayor Lobregat.

In his message, Sec. Lapus commended Lobregat for his massive infrastructure projects in different public elementary and secondary schools all over the city.-(Sheila Covarrubias)