MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--As part of its effort to improve access to quality education, Save the Children Philippines led on Friday, Oct. 21, the inauguration and turnover of a two-storey, four-classroom building in Angoyao National High School, this city.

The construction of the P9.8 million school building was realized through Save the Children's Restoring Livelihoods and Learning Project in Marawi, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific.

Accessible to children with disability, the school building project was implemented in collaboration with Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), City Schools Division of Marawi (CSDM) and Angoyao National High School (NHS).

Lawyer Alberto Muyot, Save the Children Philippines CEO, said the construction of classrooms is an important step forward in bringing peace not only to Marawi and Lanao del Sur but also to the Bangsamoro region and the world.

"We are doing this as part of our belief that indeed the right to education of children is the way to attain a just and lasting peace," he said.

The inauguration and turnover ceremony was attended by Sho Tabata of the Japan Embassy, Rikard Elfving of ADB, CSDM Superintendent Anna Zenaida Unte-Alonto, Department of Education (DepEd) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service Director Ronilda Co-Bacomo, Angoyao NHS Principal Daud Lala, and TFBM Field Office Manager Asec. Felix Castro Jr., among others.

Meanwhile, Director Bacomo conveyed the gratefulness of the education department to Save the Children and ADB for helping in the delivery of quality education.

She said ADB and Save the Children are doing more than just constructing a building for learners. They also have conflict-sensitive education, trainings for teachers, and providing mental health and psychosocial support. (APB/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)