TABUK CITY, Kalinga (PIA) — The Department of Education Schools Division of Tabuk City (DepEd-Tabuk City) is expecting the construction of 48 classrooms in ten schools in the city this school year.
These include 12 classrooms in Appas Integrated School, Southern Tabuk Integrated School, Lacnog Integrated School, and Malin-awa Elementary School to be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways; 24 classrooms in Malin-awa Elementary School, Ipil Integrated School, Suyang Elementary School, and Tuliao Elementary School. School under Public Private Partnership (PPP); and 12 classrooms in Maledda Integrated School, Lanna Elem. School, and Balong Central School under the Tabuk City Local Government Unit (LGU).
DepEd Tabuk City officer-in-charge Christopher C. Benigno said the DPWH-implemented classrooms are awaiting the Special Allotment Release Order. The classrooms under PPP are on the procurement stage, while those under the Tabuk City LGU are awaiting the signing of a supplemental memorandum of agreement.
“We will pray that it will be completed within 2026 or the early part of 2027,” Benigno said during the second quarter DepEd Cordillera press conference in Rizal, Kalinga on June 2, 2026.
The school official said the Tabuk City schools division is currently facing a shortage of 157 classrooms, including 127 classrooms for Kindergarten to Grade 6, and 30 classrooms for Grades 7 and 12.
DepEd-Tabuk City is ready for the opening of classes on June 8, with the kick-off of the five-day Brigada Eskwela across 103 schools in the city.
Benigno thanked parents, teachers, school personnel, and government partners for their support of the effort, which saw stakeholders come together to work hand in hand to clean, repair, and spruce up classrooms to provide pupils and students a comfortable and conducive learning environment.
“We would like to acknowledge and extend full gratitude to the City Local Government Unit of Tabuk City for helping us in the Brigada Eskwela for the 103 schools in the city, where the City provided an assistance of P6,000 each for use in the Brigada Eskwela,” he said.
“We would also like to extend our full gratitude to the provincial local government for providing us support in the successful implementation of Brigada Eskwela in the 10 districts of Tabuk City, and our immense gratitude also to our parents who provided unwavering support and passion,” he added.
Benigno also thanked the Department of Information and Communications Technology for distributing free SIM cards with mobile data to Amlao Elementary School and Lucog Elementary School under the Bayanihan SIM Project.
The Bayanihan SIM project is a flagship initiative of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration to provide learners, teachers, and non-teaching staff in public schools – especially in far-flung areas – access to information, technology, and online learning opportunities. **JDP/IOS-PIA CAR, Kalinga
