SENATOR Francis Pangilinan has filed two measures seeking the establishment of public elementary and secondary schools in Barangay Tumana, Marikina City, to improve access to quality education and ease the burden on families whose children must travel to neighboring communities to attend school.

Pangilinan filed Senate Bill Nos. 2277 and 2278, which propose the creation of a public elementary school and a public high school in Barangay Tumana, one of Marikina City’s largest and most densely populated barangays.

In the explanatory notes of the bills, the senator noted that Tumana remains the only barangay in Marikina without its own national public elementary and secondary schools. As a result, many students are forced to commute to nearby barangays, incurring additional transportation costs and spending more time traveling to and from school.

Pangilinan said the lack of schools within the community places an added financial burden on families already struggling with daily expenses.

“Transportation costs for students add to the expenses that families have to shoulder. Every Filipino has the right to education because it is one of the key ways to overcome poverty,” he said.

The senator added that establishing public schools in Tumana would bring educational services closer to residents and help ensure that children have better access to learning opportunities.

With a population nearing 50,000, Tumana has long been identified as a community in need of expanded educational infrastructure. The proposed schools are expected to provide more accessible basic and secondary education while reducing transportation costs for parents and guardians.

Under the proposed legislation, funding for the operation of the schools would be included in the annual budget of the Department of Education through the General Appropriations Act.

Pangilinan said the measures are part of his broader advocacy to strengthen the country’s education system, expand access to quality public education, and promote inclusive development in communities across the Philippines.