Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, Vice Mayor John Marvin "Yul Servo" Nieto, Congressman Benny Abante Jr., and other local officials led the groundbreaking ceremony for a new seven-story building at Victorino Mapa High School in San Miguel, Manila.
The new building, which will occupy a 21,000-square-meter floor area, is part of a P298.96-million project set for completion in May 2026.
The new facility will feature 162 classrooms designed to accommodate over 2,700 students, along with science laboratories, a library, a gym, a canteen, an auditorium, and elevators.
The building aims to provide ample space for both students and faculty, with a target classroom size of 35 students per room.
Mayor Lacuna-Pangan noted that the project took time to begin as the city administration had to allocate available funds, as she prefers not to incur debt.
"Kinailangan po nating sinupin ang pondo dahil ayoko mangutang... gusto ko sariling sikap natin kasi gusto ko, mahalin nating mabuti ang ating itatayong paaralan (We had to carefully manage the funds because I don’t want to incur debt... I want to rely on our own efforts because I want to truly care for the school we are building)," she said.
While the main building is under construction, classes will be held at the school's annex building, which will later be used by senior high school students.
Mayor Lacuna-Pangan thanked Congressman Abante, a former student of Victorino Mapa High School, for his continued support of the city’s education programs.
Lacuna-Pangan also announced plans to improve internet access on campus, with the installation of satellite internet dishes and fiber connections for the entire school population.
The mayor reiterated her commitment to ongoing educational support, including allowances for Grade 12 students and educational assistance for qualified learners.
The new Victorino Mapa High School building is part of several ongoing school construction projects in the city, including new buildings for Manila Science High School and other local schools.