ANGELES CITY – With education and infrastructure development being part of the priority programs of Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr., an additional building with 20 classrooms will soon rise at the City College of Angeles (CCA), using the P50-million donation from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).
This after Mayor Lazatin on June 28, 2021 led the groundbreaking ceremony at the CCA with PAGCOR Chairperson Andrea Domingo, First District Rep. Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin II, Vice Mayor Vicenta Vega-Cabigting, members of the city council, and City Engr. Donato Dizon.
During the ceremony, at the same day of his late father Cong. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin’s 87th birth anniversary, Mayor Lazatin cited him for his greatest contribution in uplifting the quality of education not just in the city, but in the first district of Pampanga, with the help of then Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda.
“Ang edukasyon po ay mahalaga sa aking ama at ganun din sa aking lolo, si Governor Rafael Lazatin, dahil naniniwala po kami na ang edukasyon ang greatest equalizer — ang edukasyon po ay makakapag ahon sa ating mga mahihirap na kababayan sa kahirapan,” he said.
“Gaya po nila, kami po ng aking kapatid na si Cong. Jon ay patuloy na isusulong ang mga programang pang-edukasyon upang maisaayos pa ang public schools dito sa Angeles City,” Mayor Lazatin added.
He then thanked the PAGCOR for being an ally in the city’s advocacy of providing quality education to the Angeleño youth.
“Lubos po akong nagpapasalamat sa PAGCOR at sa pamunuan nito, sa pangunguna po ni Ms. Andrea Domingo at naging katuwang kayo ng Angeles City Government sa adhikaing walang kabataang Angeleño ang maiiwan pagdating sa larangan ng Edukasyon,” Lazatin mentioned.
It was on November 2020 when a P50-million donation from PAGCOR was turned over to the city government. On the same day, Lazatin made a statement that the amount will be used for the building of additional classrooms at the CCA.
For his part, City Engineer Donato Dizon said that the construction will be finished by 2022.
According to Mayor Lazatin’s Chief Adviser IC Calaguas, it is only when there are more available classrooms at the CCA that additional courses will be offered to Angeleño scholars, hiring more professional teachers. This has been the advocacy of Mayor Lazatin for CCA as soon as he took office.
“Kapag po mas maraming classrooms, makakapagdagdag tayo ng courses na pwedeng pagpilian ng mga iskolar natin. Iyan po ang paniniwala ni Mayor Lazatin,” she said.
To date, there are 16 courses available in the city college with 3,200 enrolled scholars.
“Kahit po may pandemya, nais siguraduhin ni Mayor Lazatin na walang kabataang Angeleño ang maiiwan pagdating sa edukasyon. Kaya naman tuloy-tuloy po ang mga programang edukasyon na nangangalaga sa kanilang kinabukasan,” Calaguas furthered.
It can be recalled that CCA was given 3,200 tablet assistance since the transition to the digital education, which will be exclusively used for the educational learning of the scholars residing in the city. At the end of the academic year, the tablets will be given back to the school’s administration. Alongside, internet learning cards were also provided for better internet access to the city’s free WiFi.
Apart from this soon-to-rise building, P210 million will also be allotted for the city college’s infrastructure development.
It was during the elder Lazatin’s stint as city mayor when 200 classrooms were built in the city’s public schools including Balibago High School, despite the limited budget of P200 million. It was also during his stint as First District Rep. from 2011 to 2013 when 344 classrooms were constructed and repaired.
“We will remain true to our promise, that no Angeleño children will be left behind in terms of education,” Mayor Lazatin said.