Japanese fund new classrooms

MANILA, Philippines—The Japanese people have given the Philippines a $1.5-million grant to help build 60 classrooms for public kindergarten students in some of the country’s poorest regions.

The Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, funded by Japanese taxpayers and administered by the Asian Development Bank, handed over the donation Friday to the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Aklat, Gabay, Aruga Tungo sa Pag-Angat at Pag-Asa (AGAPP), a foundation run by President Aquino’s sister, Pinky Aquino-Abellada.

To date, AGAPP has constructed at least 100 classrooms in 51 sites around the country, trustee Feny de los Angeles-Bautista told a news conference at the DepEd.

Under the program, new kindergarten classrooms will be built in impoverished areas in Negros Occidental, Leyte and Bicol.

The program includes a school-feeding program and livelihood training for the schoolchildren’s parents to provide families a source of income.