Koronadal City –  The Department of Social Welfare and Development in partnership with the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid), has completed school building projects, benefiting thousands of households in eight remote villages of Region-12, an agency top official said Thursday.

Bai Zorahayda T. Taha, DSWD-12 regional director said that five units of two-classroom school buildings and three day care centers amounting to P9.62 million were completed and turned over to the beneficiary communities in various municipalities.

“These school building and daycare center projects answered the pressing needs of remote communities where either dilapidated or makeshift classrooms greet learners in the opening of classes,” Taha said.

The various projects, according to Taha, were constructed in the far flung villages of Alibayon, Amabel, Bantac, Imamaling, Kauswagan, and Owas in Magpet town, North Cotabato;  Lamsalome in T’boli, South Cotabato and Kolambog, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

Taha added that the various projects, which were constructed through the agency’s community-driven development (CDD) program, Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), benefited at least 2, 302 households.

Meanwhile, data shows from the agency that prior to these school building projects, DSWD through Kalahi-CIDSS projects has constructed a total of 121 school buildings amounting to P152. 76 million in Region-12 financed by World Bank, the contribution of the agency in closing the gap of classroom shortage in the region.

The AusAID has forged partnership with the DSWD by funding proposed school buildings and day care centers which were not prioritized or funded under the regular Kalahi-CIDSS Project earlier. (Hilbert T. Estacion, DSWD-12)