JOINT EFFORT. Soldiers, police and former Moro rebels worked side by side to rebuild a burnt building of the Pageda Elementary School in Talitay, Maguindanao Wednesday (June 27, 2019). A fire of still unknown origin razed one of the two four-classroom, single story buildings of the school. (Photo courtesy of Talitay MPS)
TALITAY, Maguindanao -- Soldiers, policemen, and even former Moro rebels joined hands Wednesday to help put up temporary learning centers and rebuild a four-classroom building destroyed by fire.
Mohagher Iqbal, head of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), announced that the Pageda Elementary School has received an outpouring of support from various organizations after the June 6 mysterious fire that destroyed one of its two buildings.
The school has some 200 elementary students sharing two four-classroom, single-story buildings.
During a “special Brigada Eskwela” exclusively for Pageda Elementary School on Wednesday, Iqbal handed over temporary learning spaces (TLS), 12 blackboards, hand washing facilities, hygiene kits to school administrators, and learning materials and school bags to pupils.
“Hundreds participated in the ‘bayanihan’ (communal) activity, including uniformed police, soldiers and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),” Iqbal said.
Iqbal assured school officials and parents that the BARMM will continue to help the pupils not only in Talitay but also across the region.
Aside from BARMM, the Unicef Philippines, Save the Children Philippines, and the Australian government through its Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao Program have joined the efforts to rebuild the damaged school.
Iqbal said all schools in the BARMM are zones of peace "and everyone -- including the police, soldiers, educators, and parents -- must help ensure all children are safe."
Saligan Dulia, an MILF member, said he came over to extend a helping hand since his children are studying in the damaged school. (PNA)
