By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Isabela Town Councilor Patrick Montilla yesterday revealed he received a copy of a letter last week indicating the special allotment release order (SARO), which allows the distribution of funds for a particular project, had yet to be released for the Tinongan National High School (TNHS) in the said town.

The city official called the letter, which was from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) District Engineer Randolfo Melosantos and addressed to DPWH Regional Director Wenceslao Leano, Jr., a “mixture of sadness and frustration” as his family had earlier donated land for the school nearly a year ago.

He pointed out, however, despite the letter dated April 27, 2018, “School building projects were already validated during the third quarter of 2017.”

Montilla said he believed all that was needed was a site, assuming an allocation was already provided for construction.

Approximately 400 TNHS students are forced to attend classes at nearby Tinongan Elementary School.

“How long will the students wait?” the city official asked. “Another 33 years?”

Montilla urged DPWH and the Department of Education to “implement the project immediately.”

The city official added, he “does not want to put malice” into the delayed project implementation but said, “I am running out of reasons every time the teachers, parents, and students of TNHS ask me when will their dream of a school building of their own be realized.”/DGB, WDJ