THE Bacolod City Council has expressed full support for the immediate passage of Senate Bill 121, or the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, authored by Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.
Councilor Caesar Distrito, who authored the resolution, said the CAP Act seeks to institutionalize a sustainable and transparent nationwide program to accelerate the construction of public school classrooms and related facilities.
“By streamlining planning and implementation, strengthening accountability, and encouraging participation of local government units (LGUs) and private partners, the measure aims to ensure that much-needed classrooms are built on time and to proper standards,” he said.
He added that the City Council’s support is anchored on the urgent need to address the country’s classroom shortage, which directly affects the quality of basic education.
Distrito noted that the CAP Act offers an innovative solution by allowing resources to flow not only through the Department of Public Works and Highways but also directly to LGUs and trusted nongovernment organizations.
“This will fast-track classroom construction and provide Bacolod’s growing student population with safe and conducive learning spaces,” Distrito said.
Co-proponents Councilors Dindo Ramos and Celia Matea Flor also echoed the call, stressing that the measure will benefit fast-growing barangays in Bacolod where enrollment continues to outpace classroom construction.
They said Bacolod City is not spared from the national classroom backlog and that an accelerated construction program is vital for equitable access to quality education.
Once enacted into law, they added, the CAP Act will help bridge the gap in classroom requirements across the city and nationwide. (MAP)