The provincial government of Cebu will begin construction on 252 temporary learning shelters in mid-June to replace classrooms damaged during twin disasters last year.
Christopher Baricuatro, a provincial executive assistant and focal person for the Provincial School Board, said the structures will support schools still recovering from the 2025 events.
The initial rollout will face minor delays for island-based schools due to logistical budget shortfalls. Baricuatro cited that the cost of transporting construction materials to the province’s outer islands exceeded original estimates.
“I didn’t take into account that the shelters are more expensive if you contract them on the islands,” Baricuatro said.
The budget constraints forced provincial officials to reduce the scale of the project. The province originally planned to build 269 temporary classrooms, but capped the project at 252 to fit the approved P295.9-million budget.
Each temporary shelter costs approximately P1.1 million to build.
The shelters are designed as a single-classroom structure. Construction is expected to take 30 to 45 days, with the province targeting completion by the end of July. To avoid lengthy property acquisition delays, the units will be built directly on existing school grounds.
The Department of Education in Central Visayas identified the recipient sites based on urgency, prioritizing communities experiencing the most severe classroom shortages.
