Additional P100 million allocated for smart classrooms in Cebu

Local

AN ADDITIONAL P100 million in funding has been allocated by the Cebu Provincial School Board for smart classrooms in the 51 municipalities and cities in the province.

According to former provincial board member Christopher “Dong” Baricuatro, who is the secretary of the school board, the allocation is supplemental to the P700 million previously allocated for the project, wherein the original plan was for each of the 51 local government units to be given one smart classroom building.

But with the additional funding, this could increase the number of school buildings to 60, since more LGUs have requested more than one school building.

Baricuatro said each two-story building will have four classrooms with a capacity of up to 40 students per room.

The classrooms will be furnished with chairs and equipped with modern educational tools such as smart interactive panel TVs, whiteboards, wall-mounted fans, and WiFi-ready facilities.

To support sustainability, the buildings will use solar power and include energy-efficient LED lighting, solar lamps, and rainwater catchment systems with pumps.

The Capitol Information Office reported that the allocation for the smart classrooms is one of the significant portions of the P367.9 million supplemental budget approved by the CPSB for 2026 during its June 2 meeting at the Capitol.

The other major allocation is the province-wide school feeding program, which totals P100 million.

The board is coordinating with Provincial Nutrition Action Officer for the development and implementation of a strategy for the feeding program to avoid placing a burden on teachers and parents.

Other project allocations for the education sector are speech laboratories, a mobile library, a mobile training center, and reference materials for Good Moral and Right Conduct (GMRC), with a P20 million budget each.

P20.5 million is earmarked for additional temporary learning shelters (TLS) in typhoon- and quake-hit areas in the province; P27 million for additional school supplies, office supplies, instructional materials, and operating expenses for learners from Kindergarten to Grade 12; P10 million for additional basic learning kits; P5 million for financial assistance for the DepEd CVIRAA delegation to the Palarong Pambansa, as requested by DepEd 7 Director Arturo Bayocot; another P5 million for lot acquisition; P2 million for an educational summit; P2 million for IT equipment; and P3.1 million for the payment for collapsible tents (2019 obligation).

Funds for these projects will be sourced from the Special Education Fund.(MyTVCebu)