EDC president Richard Tantoco (rightmost) and ALKFI managing director Clarissa Ocampo (3rd from left) with (l-r) ALKFI project manager Jun Dungo, Lopez Group Foundation Inc. Operations manager Angela Lopez, Kananga Mayor Elmer Codilla and Leyte Gov. Leopoldo Petilla at the turnoverMore than 4,000 students in Leyte will be enjoying their classes in typhoon-resistant classrooms after 48 classrooms were turned over to 18 schools in Kananga, Ormoc, Merida, Isabel and Albuera by the Lopez Group as part of its Leyte Rebuilding project.

Richard Tantoco, president and chief operating officer of Energy Development Corporation (EDC), and Clarissa Ocampo, managing director of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc. (ALKFI), led the turnover of the new classrooms.

The new classrooms costing P1.2 million each were built by the Lopez Group using funds donated to ALKFI.

EDC donated P4.5M and supervised the construction of the classrooms. The company tapped W. V. Coscolluela and Associates and Sy^2 and Associates for the architectural and structural designs, respectively.

The classrooms were designed to withstand wind velocity of 250 kilometers per hour, pursuant to the standard of Department of Public Works and Highways and the Minimum Performance Standards and Specification of the Department of Education (DepEd) for typhoon-resilient structures. The classrooms also feature new ceilings and wider windows for better ventilation, plus wider blackboards, electric fans and comfort rooms.

Last September 2014, the Lopez Group finished construction of 24 typhoon-resistant classrooms for four schools in Ormoc City, Isabel and Palo.

The Lopez Group’s Leyte Rebuilding project has programmed to construct 64 new classrooms and repair 10 classrooms in 23 schools in Ormoc, Kananga, Albuera, Merida, Palo and Isabel using donations to ALKFI.

An additional 32 classrooms will also be constructed in Ormoc City and Kananga using funds from the Lopez Group in support of the Department of Education’s Adopt-a-School program. (Story/ photos byToni Nieva)