₱9.5-M building gives Balbalan learners six new classrooms after years in makeshift spaces

FEATURE

“We always support nu anya dagiti needs iti learners tayo, uray pay nu kastoy nga bassit iti development fund tayo. Ngem agyaman tayo met lang iti NTF-ELCAC iti inted da nga pondo para ditoy nga project. Tatta, addan iti nasay-sayaat nga classroom nga pagklase an dagitoy ubbing tayo.” - Mayor Almar Malannag

BALBALAN, Kalinga – After years of learning in makeshift classrooms, students of Dao-angan Integrated School now have six new classrooms where they can study, develop their skills, and pursue their dreams in a more comfortable learning environment.

The improvement came with the completion and turnover of a ₱9.5-million, two-storey school building funded by the national and municipal governments.

The building was formally turned over to the school community on October 28, 2026, during a ceremony attended by Balbalan Mayor Almar Malannag, Vice Mayor Regina Munda Cruz, DILG Provincial Director Mayer Max Adong, Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Gloria Buya-ao, and other local officials.

In an interview with Guru Press Cordillera, Malannag said ₱7.5 million of the project cost came from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), while the remaining ₱2 million was sourced from the municipal government's 20% Development Fund.

He said the project was initiated to provide students and teachers with a more comfortable and conducive learning environment, noting that some learners and educators had been using makeshift classrooms for years.

“We always support nu anya dagiti needs iti learners tayo, uray pay nu kastoy nga bassit iti development fund tayo. Ngem agyaman tayo met lang iti NTF-ELCAC iti inted da nga pondo para ditoy nga project. Tatta, addan iti nasay-sayaat nga classroom nga pagklase an dagitoy ubbing tayo,” Malannag said.

With the new facility, learners can now attend classes in improved surroundings, while teachers have better spaces to carry out their lessons and classroom activities.

For the school community, the two-storey building represents more than additional classroom space. It is an investment in giving children better opportunities to learn and build their future.