Friday, March 09, 2007 Construction of 1st Apalit high school starts By Raymond C. Garcia
APALIT -- The long dream of Pampanga fourth district Board Member Nestor Tolentino and Municipal Councilor Sanny Mendoza was finally realized following a groundbreaking ceremony that signaled the start of the construction of the Apalit National High School (ANHS) here.
The groundbreaking was led by Assistant Secretary Ramon Aquino and Regional Director Freddie Tolentino of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), with Pampanga fourth district Representative Ana York Bondoc-Sagum, Tolentino and Mendoza.
Tolentino, an advocate of good and quality education, claimed there is a shortage of high schools in this town since there are only three high schools here -- the Cansinala and Barangay Balucuc high schools and the Apalit Technical School (ATS).
He also commended the effort of Mendoza in the realization of the project, thus saying the councilor "is the father and brain behind it."
Tolentino and Mendoza are eyeing the two top local positions here, running in tandem in the upcoming May elections.
The board member earlier urged for the approval of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Department of Education (DepEd) and the DPWH. He said the Municipal Council was requested last year to legislate that a part of the PRCS building will be used as classrooms.
After the Municipal Council's approval, a MOA between the DepEd and the DPWH was formalized.
However, Tolentino revealed that there was a slight delay regarding the approval of the MOA due to some technicalities.
At this juncture, Tolentino himself made the initiative to follow it up at the DPWH.
Sagum's intervention
Although there were claims that there are some who were not in favor of the construction of ANHS due to some reasons, the lady lawmaker said that through proper explanation, she made those people agree to the project.
Sagum and Pampanga second district Representative Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo are instrumental in the realization of the project.
