SCHOOL REHABILITATION PROJECT: NARVACAN, ILOCOS SUR

September 2010
MABUHAY!

After our ocular inspection in La Union, our team of builders headed up further north of the Philippines to Narvacan, Ilocos Sur to visit an old school building which is also a beneficiary of GMA Kapuso foundation's school rehabilitation project. This school building, part of Narvacan Elementary School is 90 years old at the time of our visit in 2010. A once solid and sturdy structure, it now needs immediate repair specially some parts of its structural members due to its gradual decomposition as time passes by.

WELCOME ARCHWAYS

What I really love to see during a road trip in northern part of the Philippines are the welcome archways in every town and small villages, an epitome of warm hospitality of the Filipinos. But I'm not quite sure if the sequence of these archways going to our destination in Ilocos Sur are chronologically in order.

A ONCE STRONG AND STURDY STRUCTURE

THE YEAR MARKER

 A photo souvenir with other builders on the year stamped at the concrete wall of the building probably signifying the year the building was completed.

OCULAR INSPECTION

The long wide corridor with Tongue and groove timber ceiling

An interior stage with real bamboo poles backdrop 

The long and wide jalousie windows with capiz shell transom giving ample natural lighting ventilation.

A large meeting hall with lumber flooring still in good condition.

An existing wood panel door still in good condition.

Detailed carving design

Some deteriorated lumber flooring

The concrete stilt now deteriorated

The wooden floor joist are still in good condition

Concrete stilts now deteriorated exposing steel reinforcing bars

Twisted reinforcing steel bars- evidence that this building is constructed during the early 1900's during the American Period in the Philippines. I've seen this kind of steel bars in some of the old buildings in Manila.  

HEADING TOWARDS VIGAN, ILOCOS SUR

INSIDE SAINT PAUL CATHEDRAL, VIGAN, ILOCOS SUR

This photo is taken at GMA KAPUSO Foundation's website showing Narvacan Elementary School during and after rehabilitation.

OCULAR INSPECTION OF LABBON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING AT CABA, LA UNION

September 2010
MABUHAY!

Travelling 257 kilometers from our office at Karangalan Village, Pasig City, Metro Manila, we joined the caravan of contractors that are members of Philippine Contractors Association (PCA) for an ocular inspection of Labbon Elementary School- a beneficiary of GMA KAPUSO Foundation School rehabilitation program.This school was damaged by typhoon Ondoy, one of the most destructive typhoon in Philippine history. We are tasked to make an assessment of the incurred damage and make cost proposal for the repair works. This is a photo journal of our visit to Caba, La Union, recollecting our happy moments together with other builders.

Trekking down the narrow rough road going to the School

A commemorative photo with other builders

The mudslides almost cleared after the storm

Huge rock boulders that rolled down from the mountain still inside the classroom

There are plenty of mango trees around the school compound

Rodvic our driver couldn't control himself 

OUR ACCOMMODATION
We were very thankful that one of our colleague offered his mountain resort for our accommodation that night.

PREPARING OUR DINNER

RELAX MODE AT THE RESORT

Taking my break time from cooking with Engr. Ed of GMA Kapuso

The variety of mango fruit around the mountain resort

A screen shot from the GMA Kapuso foundation website showing our workers together with the Foundation's volunteers mixing concrete for the rehabilitation of school building.