First GMU Field Day

Day 1? Not really.
But for the Grant Management Unit (GMU) of the Japan Fund for Powerty Reduction (JFPR) Grant 9175, here we are so far - the first three consultants on board (on ground) - ready to tackle our respective roles. Other consultants are coming. Soon we hope!

Itinerary for the day, a go-see of the first sub-project already under construction: Bislig Elementary School in Brgy. Bislig, Tanauan, Leyte.

Atty. Karen Baydo, resident administrator of ADB's Extended Mission to Yolanda Affected Areas (EMY), was kind enough to have brought us to the site, where we were met and toured around by Engr. Sareth Tingson - DSWD Project Manager for the grant, and Engr. Bert Merelos - Project Engineer.

Some pics that would become our baseline photos:

Many classes are still being held at makeshift tents.

An unfinished classroom, but teacher and students make do with their "blackboard-in-the-making"! I took this photo from an equally unfinished window as I stood outside of the classroom.

That's the two-classroom building being re-constructed.

At right edge of photo is the new single-classroom building being built. That one in the middle has been yet untouched from how it was mangled by Yolanda. But the team is thinking of a way...

Enough of the drama on Yolanda. We have seen and heard many of them. This time, let's get excited to help kids have their classrooms back, and fast!

We shall prevail!