Sponsorship Speech House Bill No. 10279/ Committee Report No. 346
AN ACT CONVERTING THE SAN LORENZO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN BARANGAY BIBINCAHAN, SORSOGON CITY, PROVINCE OF SORSOGON INTO AN INTEGRATED SCHOOL TO BE KNOWN AS THE SAN LORENZO INTEGRATED NATIONAL SCHOOL, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Session Hall, Senate of the Philippines
Delivered by THE HONORABLE WIN GATCHALIAN, Senator of the 18th Congress:

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, good afternoon.

Today, I am honored to sponsor House Bill No. 10279, an act which seeks to convert San Lorenzo Elementary School in Barangay Bibincahan, Sorsogon City into an integrated school.

Barangay Bibincahan, where the school is located, has a population of 15,738, 30.96 percent of which are aged 14 and below according to the 2015 census. The population is projected to grow to 18,693 this year, while the population of the entire City of Sorsogon is projected to grow to 199,675.

San Lorenzo Elementary School has a current enrollment of 532. The school's feasibility report shared with our office shows that the nearest public secondary high school is located more or less 6 kilometers away. Given that most families in this area are farmers with low incomes, sending their children to high school imposes an additional financial burden.

Considering the projected population growth in Barangay Bibincahan and the neighboring barangays, converting San Lorenzo Elementary School into an integrated school can ensure that learners, as well as out-of-school youth, can have proper access to full basic education -- from elementary to high school.

Should this proposed measure become law, San Lorenzo Elementary School will be known as San Lorenzo Integrated National School.

I would also like to inform this honorable body that the Department of Education has certified this measure's compliance with DepEd Order No. 40 series of 2014 titled "Establishment, Merging, Conversion, and Naming/Renaming of Public Schools, and Separation of Public School Annexes in Basic Education".

Considering the needs of our kababayans and learners in Sorsogon for accessible and quality education, and in view of this proposed measure's compliance with the relevant DepEd issuance, I humbly seek the support of this esteemed body for its immediate passage.

Thank you, Mr. President.