The Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Antique has said the soon-to-be-constructed San Remigio Integrated School in Barangay Baladjay will be for students from the remote areas of the province.

DepEd-Antique Curriculum Implementation Division chief, Dr. Gaudencio Reigo, said in an interview on Wednesday the initiative of San Remigio’s local government unit (LGU) to open another integrated school could provide students with access to enable them to attend classes in a nearby school.

“Students from Barangay Baladjay would have to cross a river daily to attend their classes in the town proper, thus having an integrated school within the area would be a big help,” Reigo said.

He said the school would serve as a catchment for students from Baladjay’s neighboring barangays.

In an interview on Tuesday, San Remigio Mayor Margarito Mission Jr. said because their municipality is considered as a geographically isolated and disadvantaged area (GIDA), he found it necessary to put up integrated schools so that students from remote barangays could also be given a chance to study in a school near them.

Mission, who led the groundbreaking ceremony for the project on February 28, said he intends to open six integrated schools during his term.

“The integrated school at the San Remigio Elementary School will cater to the students not only from the old town (town center) but also from the barangays of Magdalena, General Luna, Vilvar, and Baladjay,” he said.

Without the new integrated school, students have to attend the Bugo National High School in Barangay Bugo, Barangbang National High School in Barangay Barangbang, Tubudan High School in Barangay Tubudan, and Sumaray Integrated High School in Barangay Sumaray.

“The Sumaray Integrated High School is actually the first of the six integrated high schools opened in San Remigio last year,” Mission said, adding that it has 80 students.

He said with the construction of the one-story makeshift building in Baladjay, they hope to be able to accept 70 students.

“The makeshift building will have two classrooms for high school students,” Mission added.

San Remigio has allocated PHP250,000 for the construction, which will start within this month.

“We hope that the construction will be finished within two months’ time so that it could cater already to the students by the next school opening,” he said.

Mission said the other integrated high schools to be opened before the end of 2022 will be in Barangays Panpanan I this April; Osorio I in General Fullon; and San Remigio Poblacion.

The groundbreaking was attended by Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao, Vice Governor Edgar Denosta, District Supervisor Francisco Misajon, and other DepEd officials. (PNA)