Chapter 201: Site Evaluations

November 3, 2029Nueva Vizcaya – Project Site 018:20 AMThe convoy arrived shortly after sunrise. November air in the valley felt colder than it had during Timothy’s last visit. A thin layer of mist clung to the grass, and the muddy path leading to the school softened under the tires of the TG vehicles.

The school gate was a bent metal frame with chipped blue paint. The sign above it hung crooked, two bolts missing. Children gathered near the entrance, carrying notebooks pressed against their chests. They watched the vehicles with quiet curiosity.

Adrian stepped out first, clipboard ready. He scanned the buildings without rushing, noting every crack and missing roof sheet. Behind him, Hana checked the assessment file generated from the municipality’s earlier reports.

Timothy followed them. He took a slow look around the campus. The roofs sagged. The walkways were uneven. The walls needed repainting several times over. The place carried the familiar strain of decades without proper maintenance.

A teacher approached them. She wore a faded blouse and held a folder close as if guarding it.

"Good morning," she said. "I’m Teacher Ramos. Thank you for coming."

Adrian shook her hand. "Thank you for receiving us. We will walk through the campus as it is. No preparations required."

She nodded and led them to the first classroom.

Inside, the air smelled of chalk dust and old wood. The walls had patches where plaster had peeled. The ceiling had multiple holes covered with thin plywood. The windows opened halfway before catching on rusted hinges. Chairs and desks did not match, each one repaired at least twice.

Timothy stood near the back and checked everything quietly. He pressed a finger against one of the wooden chairs. The frame wobbled.

"How often does it leak?" Adrian asked as he examined the ceiling.

"Whenever it rains," Teacher Ramos said. "During storms, half the class stays home."

Hana documented the structural issues. She inspected the floor, marked water stains, and photographed the ceiling beams.

They moved to the next building. The cement floor was uneven. A long crack stretched from one end of the room to the other. When Timothy stepped on it, the surface shifted slightly.

"Flooding?" he asked.

"Whenever the river rises," the teacher replied. "We move the students to higher ground."

Adrian wrote down demolition recommendation.

Outside, a group of children watched them again, keeping a respectful distance. Timothy approached.

"How many students study here?" he asked.

"Two hundred, sir," one boy answered.

"And this is all the space you have?"

"Yes."

Timothy looked at the three small buildings and the open shed that served as a multipurpose area.

"Do you have a library?"

"No, sir."

"Science lab?"

They shook their heads.

"Computers?"

One child pointed to the school office. "We have one. It works sometimes."

Timothy did not speak for several seconds. He took a breath and nodded.

"We continue," he said to Adrian.

They measured the available land and checked the drainage points. The barangay captain arrived midway through the inspection. He explained the long list of requests sent to various government offices and how most had received no response.

Hana listened and recorded everything.

"This school is in the priority cluster," she said. "Once the engineering review is complete, we will proceed."

By ten thirty, they moved to the next site.

Project Site 02

Southern Nueva Vizcaya11:05 AM

The second school stood on a sloped lot. One building had collapsed two years earlier after a storm. The debris remained piled near the back fence.

The principal met them at the gate. His posture showed relief at having visitors who seemed ready to work instead of evaluate from afar.

He led them to the collapsed structure. The roof had caved. Wooden beams snapped. The foundation cracked under the weight.

"We closed this entire wing," the principal said. "The remaining rooms hold fifty students each."

Adrian inspected the debris carefully without stepping onto the unstable cement. "This requires full replacement," he said.

The working classrooms were cramped. Fans rattled at low speed. The chalkboard in one room had a hole patched with cardboard. The doors had no locks.

A class was running when they entered. The children recited a lesson softly. Most shared desks. Their notebooks were worn from repeated use.

Timothy watched from the back. No child complained. They adjusted chairs and kept studying. One girl held her book at an angle because the desk tilted.

Outside the classroom, Timothy asked the principal, "How long has this been the condition?"

"Years," the principal said. "Repairs are promised every budget cycle, but they do not arrive."

Hana added notes. "This school goes into Priority Tier One," she said to Timothy.

He nodded.

At the far end of the grounds, an older woman approached with a small basket of guavas.

"Sir," she said to Timothy, "thank you for coming. We have heard stories. We hope some are true."

Timothy accepted the basket. "We are conducting the first assessments. The work will follow."

She nodded and stepped away with quiet relief.

Project Site 03

Mountain Barangay1:45 PM

The third school required a climb along a narrow, rocky road. The team left the convoy halfway and continued on foot.

The school at the top stood on an open ridge. Two classrooms made of light materials faced a wide view of the valley. The walls shook lightly in the wind. The solar batteries installed years ago functioned only on clear days.

The lone teacher greeted them.

"Welcome," she said. "We are not accustomed to visitors."

The classrooms had no fans, no working lights, and minimal supplies. Students shared notebooks. Some shared pencils. The teacher stored textbooks in a plastic container to keep them dry.

"Do you receive support from the district?" Adrian asked.

"They try," the teacher said. "But resources do not reach this far often."

Timothy walked around the perimeter. "We will not repair this structure," he said. "We build a new one. Reinforced concrete. Reliable power. Proper ventilation."

The teacher steadied herself. "Even a new roof would help."

"You will have more than a roof," Timothy replied.

End of Day

TG Tower – BGC7:10 PM

They returned to Manila after dark. The city lights replaced the quiet of the mountains. The contrast made the day feel heavier.

Adrian uploaded the field reports. He organized them by structural urgency, population impact, and engineering requirements. Hana compiled the photos, surveys, and preliminary cost models.

Timothy read through everything carefully.

Structural degradation. Overcrowding. Lack of equipment. Safety hazards. Broken floors. Leaking roofs. Poor ventilation. Unreliable power.

The data matched what they had seen in person.

Timothy closed the folder.

"This is where we begin," he said.

Hana looked at him. "Three schools for Phase Zero?"

"Three," he said. "Then thirty more."

Adrian nodded. "We will prepare the reconstruction templates. Standardized designs for rural zones."

Timothy looked out the window. Manila moved below them with energy that did not exist in the schools they visited.

"Start drafting the engineering packages tomorrow," he said. "Procurement follows after board approval."

Hana closed her laptop. "This will take years."

"Yes," Timothy said. "And the sooner we start, the sooner something changes."

They left the conference room one by one.

Outside, the city kept moving.

Far away in the mountains, the three schools sat under the November night, unchanged for now but no longer forgotten.