‘La Fiesta as site for high school campus not political’

The Office of Governor’s proposal to use the La Fiesta Mall as the site of a new junior high and high school is not political in nature, according to an official of the Public School System.

“I don’t feel it is a political move,” said Board of Education chair Roman C. Benavente yesterday.

He added that the proposal is more of a strategic move to solve the problems of overcrowding in schools. Benavente said the government has agreed in principle to foot the bill for the entire renovation of the mall, based on recommendations made by PSS.

He said politics should be set aside as long as the new school would solve the continuing problem of overcrowding at the Kagman High School and Cha Cha Oceanview Junior High School. Benavente earlier said there are more than 400 students overcrowding the two schools.

Benavente, together with BOE vice chair Dino Jones, board member Marja Lee Taitano, and PSS Capital Improvement Project engineer Liz Balajadia, had a meeting with Gov. Juan N. Babauta last Wednesday in connection with the proposal.

The governor’s special adviser Robert Schwalbach and La Fiesta Mall special consultant Ray Guerrero also attended the meeting.

After the meeting, all except the governor went to the La Fiesta Mall for an inspection of the site. He said Balajadia assessed the renovation the facility needs to undergo.

Benavente said the government is giving them the entire La Fiesta II wing of the mall. He said the governor reiterated in the meeting that he is giving the PSS a 20-year lease.

“At least we would be able to graduate [students] 20 times more in those 20 years,” he said.

Benavente admitted there are concerns the board and the PSS would like to address first before the proposal gains more momentum.

He said the PSS needs the government to provide it with a written agreement and proposal to assure the smooth operation of the new school.

On a good note, Benavente said the mall already includes a reverse osmosis system capable of providing drinking and cooking water for the future campus. He also said they found out that the building is Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant, with elevators and walkways accessible for people with disabilities.

La Fiesta Mall also provides more than sufficient restrooms for students and the facility would almost be like a university, he added.

Benavente said the only concern they have at the moment would be the location of a children’s playground.

“Alternative solutions for the playground is the property adjacent to La Fiesta,” he said. Also the gymnasium would probably be constructed on the same area, he added.

Benavente admitted this is only a preliminary move for them; he said more legwork must be done in order to follow through on the plan.

He said it might take three years to realize the project. Benavente said the board would arrange a follow-up meeting with the governor this week.

Previous reports said the conversion of La Fiesta into a new junior high and high school facility would cost PSS additional expenses, contradicting the point that it would not cost a cent.

Board member Herman T. Guerrero said the opening a new school would cost PSS because it doesn’t have enough money to run another school. He also said opening a new school would involve hiring more teachers and would require more money for operations.

Director of finance Richard Waldo said the government might lease the facility to PSS for $1 a year, almost making the rental free.