ART BEYOND SIGHT:

SCHOOL OF APPLIED ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR

THE VISUALLY CHALLENGED

A Thesis Presented to the

School of Architecture, Industrial Design & the Built Environment
Mapua Institute of Technology

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in Architectural Design 9/ AR200/ AR200S/

for the Degree of BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ARCHITECTURE

Presented by

Tolentino, Lemuel Adriel C.

2010121319

Architect Junar Pakingan Tablan, uap, MSAE

Adviser

December 12, 2014

PART I: THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Chapter I.1
GENERAL OVERVIEW

INTRODUCTION
Art is the most powerful way of self-expression. Art conveys information and
messages and reflects emotional situations and perspectives. Art manipulates different
objects and materials and creates new and interesting ones by putting them in variety of
different forms. Many different materials with variety of qualities can be used to create
an art object. So an art object has different types of qualities: visual ones such as color,
dimensionality, shape, size, texture, and qualities experienced through touch or
kinesthetically, such as firmness, softness, temperature or weight. Generally, color is
the dominant one in art education for visually capable students. For sure, for a blind or
visually impaired student, color is not primary. Texture, smoothness or roughness of the
material's surface, elevation changes on the surface and weight come first.
For students / people in our society with complete visual capabilities, it can be
hardly imagined that people who are blind or visually impaired can engage in art and
other activities that reflect real world science and technology scenarios alone or by
themselves. As a learning tool, as a spare time activity or as a therapeutic activity, art
provides blind students with better quality of life in the same way it affects sighted
students life. McNear (2000) suggests that art activities are integral to childrens
learning processes because they connect students imagination to questions about
human existence and present issues and ideas that teach, persuade, entertain, and
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adorn. For the blind and the visually impaired as well as sighted children, art education
must be taken seriously as a part of the curriculum.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

At present, the only existing residential school devoted for providing education for
the blind or visually impaired in the Philippines is the Philippine National School for the
Blind (PNSB) in Pasay City, which possesses a planning and design program based on
the government standards. As of today, the said school offers educational programs for
kindergarten, elementary and high school while also implementing the K-12 program.
Aside from that the school also offers Alternative Learning System (ALS). Moreover,
only few are even aware of its existence, and consequently, only few get the chance to
take advantage of the unique experience of education and life, especially those living in
rural places. With that provided, the study, with no specific existing standards seeks to
provide a design program of a building that would meet the needs of this special student
population residing in a specific rural area seeking for ways to be involved in art,
because art is not only about drawing, painting, and sculptures; it can be defined as a
diverse range of human activities including music, dance and other performance arts. It
can also be referred to any skill or mastery and was not differentiated from crafts or
sciences and that is why this proposal also aims to expand their knowledge through
engaging them in science and technology.

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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Currently, the Philippines only navigate a clearly defined planning path for a
school for the blind and the visually impaired which only creates a building program
based on combined attributes of global and state standards, and securing funding and
approval from a government agency. Still, no such specific or exact path existed for the
planning and design of a school specially designed to teach new ways for art and
technology reach the blind and the visually impaired students. Due to the current
situation of the only school for the blind in the Philippines, the Philippine National School
for the Blind (PNSB), wherein less attention is given for developmental program in art
and technological aspects, the students lose the opportunity for workmanship in terms
of art as it is defined in the background of the study, to heighten motivation to use
existing less vision, increase the ability to identify the terrain or condition of his / her
environment, identify ones own need for detail, observe more, notice more, and most
importantly appreciate the environment they are involved with.
The primary purpose of this study is to determine what significant / innovative
approach can be done in the design of a school, primarily focused on teaching applied
arts and technology to visually challenged / impaired students, that will facilitate learning
and allows the students to manipulate their own environment and see things in another
new perspective.

Sub problems
What possible innovation can be added or altered with the conventional
planning and design of facilities for the blind and the visually impaired that will

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address this special students need for art as a learning tool and a therapeutic
activity?
What will be the suitable planning methodology that could support
mobility, safety and independence and at the same time a school environment
that could give them excitement to learn and appreciate art that normally visually
aided people experience?
What different approach can be adapted with regards to the interior of
the school that could boost their aesthetic and intellectual potential more than
which of the senses they are using?

PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

This project seeks way for visually challenged / impaired students to learn more
to appreciate art through an art inclined built environment.
Reflect the community of learners through multi sensory design elements.
Support mobility, safety and independence and provide orientation to time and
space.
Be sustainably designed and encourage learning and appreciate art and
technology.
Be flexible to the needs regardless of the capability of their eye sight.
Provide sensory landmarking and good acoustics.
Propose an educational facility for the visually impaired that should reach the
underserved sectors existing in rural places.

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PROJECT STRATEGIES
To provide connections to the outside through windows and exterior spaces.
To give a high level of sensory input through movement inside the school.
To create a home base where students can learn to confidently navigate their
own environment.
To design the main corridor for usage of therapy, mobility training, and
wayfinding exercises.
To design walls and ceilings that would give students tactile, acoustic, and
visual cues.
To have Focus rooms attached to each classroom that will enable a variety of
functions like observation or light rooms for sensory activities.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is relevant and very essential on our current time, since hidden among
85 million people and 7,100 islands of the Philippines, are an estimated half a million
people are blind, and many more who are visually impaired to a lesser degree. Yet, the
Philippines only have one official school for the blind owned by the government which is
the Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) in Pasay City. Moreover, according
to Department of Health (DOH), perhaps up to one hundred children lose their sight
every week in the country.
With that said, those children with eyesight disabilities living in rural areas lose
their opportunities to have an education which shall be a right and not a privilege for
them to achieve. With this project, the children living in those places will have better
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quality of life and a chance to go to school and learn to appreciate art and assistive
technology for their development in a wide range aspect. The school will teach and
provide them efficient and effective coordination of their sensory capabilities even
without the aid of sight through adapting a multi sensory design elements for its
facilities.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

The study will be limited to planning and designing of a school that shall focus on
the needs of its blind and visually impaired students. It shall focus more on how to give
an innovative approach to the conventional way of designing a school for students /
children with eyesight deficiencies or problems. The design of the school shall give
opportunity for students to learn and appreciate art in a way that the school environment
shall promote it.
The study shall focus on application of architectural design, location of utility and
services, lighting, acoustics and the movement or circulation of students inside the
facility. The proposal does not include the preparation of mechanical, electrical,
plumbing and structural details.

ASSUMPTIONS
The researcher is inclined to think that the outcome of the study will be able to
support the need for a school which shall be resided in a rural site, as proposed,
inclined in teaching visual impaired students the diversity of arts and technology to
further benefit their lives, making them realize that art is not only about simply drawing
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or painting which they cannot judge and visually perceive by themselves. Moreover the
researcher will devote himself to acquire as much as possible information that will
contribute to arrive on a design solution for such proposal.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Problem:
School of Applied Arts and
Technology for the Visually
Challenged

Analyze and
Compare the
Gathered Data

Case Study, Oral

Observation, and
Interview

Formulation of
Architectural
Solution

Production of Solution

Problem Analysis

Data Gathering

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DEFINITION OF TERMS

Visual impaired

a person with eyesight disabilities.

Mobility

quality of movement physically

Sensory

something relating to sensation or feeling

Tactile

perceptible to the sense of touch

Sustainable

capable of being used without being completely used up

Efficient

performing or functioning in the best possible manner with

the least waste of time and effort

Inclined

focused on something

Flexible

capable to response to change; adaptable

ACRONYMS
DOH

Department of Health

PNSB

Philippine National School for the Blind

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Chapter I.2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

RELATED LITERATURE
Foreign:
New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
http://media.cefpi.org/efp/EFP44-1Walleisa.pdf

According to Julie Walleisa, AIA, LEED AP (2011), she said that in the United
States, unfortunately, legislatures around the country have been closing schools for the
blind due to the high cost of educating blind students, and a lack of resources. She also
pointed out that due to the closures of schools, there are now problems arising with
regards to lack of schools to accommodate blind students.

She said that there must

be an action from the government about the problem through implementation of

construction of new schools for the blind.

Local:
Perkins: Parents Come Together in the Philippines
http://www.perkins.org/news-events/eNewsletters/insight/international/philippines-parentcongress.html

According to Perkins (2011), an international organization serving people with

visual impairments, In the Philippines, less than five percent of children who are visually
disabled go to school. Through advocacy and parent networking, PAVIC members are
combating the chief roadblocks to opportunity and independence for these children: A
lack of capacity in the schools to accommodate students and a general lack of
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awareness in the community of the rights and educational needs of children with visual
disabilities. Moreover, according to Perkins, the Philippine Government shall know now
who these special people are and parents need to make their voices even louder to
keep government agencies on task. We know it will be a long and slow process, but we
are willing to work overtime just to achieve our goals.
With Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) serving as the only school
for the blind in the Philippines, the government shall already take action on spreading
institutional facilities around the country for the blind and visually impaired or at least
promoting it in rural places.

RELATED STUDIES
Foreign:
From the report Causes and Temporal Trends of Childhood Blindness in
Indonesia: Study at Schools for the Blind in Java of R S Sitorus, M Sulaiman Abidin,
and Joedo Prihartono, they ascertain the condition of students with eyesight disabilities
in schools in Indonesia. Five schools for the blind in Java were visited by the authors
(RS, SA) between November 2005 and January 2006.
There are 10 stateowned schools for the blind in Java, with 4 schools having a
total number of students 100 (large school) and 6 schools having a total number of
students 100 (small school).
A total of 504 students from three large schools for the blind (WiyataGuna in
Bandung in Western Java, TanMiyat in Bekasi (a small city near Jakarta) and
BudiMulyo in Malang in Eastern Java) and two small schools for the blind (Pendowo in
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Kudus in Central Java and BhaktiCandrasa in Surakarta in Central Java) were selected
randomly for the study using Stratified cluster sampling based on the number
of students (large or small school) was used to obtain data from as wide of a geographic
area as possible. The schools cater to students who come mainly from the rural areas
of Java, but some travel from outside of Java. Information was gathered from
interviewing the students, parents (if possible) and school staff, and from reviewing
medical records.
On the study, In Indonesia Government Program serves students that are 3 to 5
years old, and blind or visually impaired. Many students have multiple physical or
cognitive impairments, which require them to use canes, wheelchairs and assisted
communication devices. The pre school programs focus on assessing each students
capacity to process sensory information, and providing an environment that ensures
brain development and maximizes the potential for future learning.

Programming and Conceptual Design

Programming and design efforts were driven by NMSBVIs strong teaching model
which created consensus amongst the staff and provided clear direction to the design.
While most schools create a small building committee to guide the design process,
NMSBVI invited all staff to participate. Open meetings were held with administrators,
teachers, educational assistants, therapists, and other staff members throughout the
programming and design process.

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Together, they adopted the following goals:

To provide appropriate facilities and property management that meet student and
program needs.
A building that could support mobility, and safety.
To provide common rooms which connect a classroom to another classroom.
Simple building with good acoustics for blind.
Less lighting for avoidance of glare.
Encourage sense of fun for learning.
Proving playground for sensory development.
Incorporate tactile surfaces like tiles and walls for navigation.
Connections to the outside through windows and exterior spaces.

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Page 14

Page 15

Classroom Cluster Plan

An example of a cluster plan of classroom which can provide mobile navigation
for the blind and the visually impaired within the available facilities of the school. In
every classroom a common room is incorporated which serves various functions such
as observation and monitoring and a main corridor for mobility training of students.

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Local:
Philippine National School for the Blind, Pasay City

The Philippine National School for the Blind is the only existing special school
for visually impaired in the country.

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The Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) offers education to students
who are blind and even to those who have very low eyesight or what we call those
visually impaired ones. Currently they have they offer Elementary and High School
Program while also implementing the K-12 program.

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Currently, they have a total of 320 students with different cases in eyesight.
Some are completely blind, while some have very low low average eyesight range.

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The school currently provides dormitory facilities for both their male and female
students. During weekdays they sleep in their dormitories, then in weekends they are
fetched by their parents to go home for family bonding.
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Chapter I.3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION
This chapter outlines the general methodology of the study, the research design,
research instruments, the location of the research subject, and the interviewing
procedures.

RESEARCH METHOD
The study utilized the descriptive method of research to identify, analyze, and
describe factors contributing to the study. In order to arrive with the proposed innovation
and approach with a solution, the research methodology systematically described first
the case and the current situation in an existing facility and dig information regarding the
study clearly and accurately using interview, and observation. This gathered information
will be the reference in the assessment for the goal and the urge for change and
innovation in the facilities for this children with visual impairment, to have a school of
applied arts and technology for the blind and the visually impaired.

RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
The study will conduct an analysis and collect data through interview and
observation supported with pictures. The interview will be conducted using suitable
questions modified from related research and individual questions formed by the

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researcher. The interview will comprise of questions, which were related to the
interviewees perception and knowledge regarding the study.

RESEARCH LOCALE
As part of the study, the researcher decided to have a site visit and conduct a
study in Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) in Pasay City. It is the only
residential school for the visually impaired in the country. The name of the school was
formerly known as The School for the Deaf and the Blind. It was known before to
provide education from Kindergarten to High School to both the deaf and the blind but in
the later years it was decided by the local government of Pasay City to separate the
school for the blind from the deaf.
The said school would be able to provide sufficient information and support for
the progress of the study, since the school has a good reputation when it comes to
providing quality education with affection for children with visual disabilities. Through
observing and studying their activities inside the school, the researcher would have
enough information to be able to plan a future school especially inclined in teaching arts
to children with visual disabilities.

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Vicinity Map of Philippine National School for the Blind

POPULATION UNIVERSE
A group of individual from the Philippine National School for the Blind involving
the students and teachers will be the participants to the study because they possess the
characteristics and same interest which are also of interest to researchers study. The
population of the participants is enough to contribute to the goals of the study and
acquire an ample amount of information to support the study of the researcher, as well
as, to have an idea on how to plan a school especially designed for the visually
impaired.

RESEARCH DESIGN
The study will utilize the interview and observation approach of research. The
said approach is used as much as the principle rationale of the study was to propose a
school of applied arts and technology for the blind and the visually impaired.
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CASE STUDY: Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB)

Location
The Philippine National School for the Blind is the only existing government
owned education institution for the blind and the visually impaired in the country. It is
located in Galvez Avenue, Cor. Figueroa St., Pasay City along with the Philippine
School for the Deaf just beside the Pasay City Hall.

Main Entrance Gate

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School Institution Profile

Formerly known as the School for the Deaf and the Blind, the Philippine National
School for the Blind, is still continuing and growing as an institution especially inclined in
providing education for the children with visual disabilities. At present, the school is
committed in giving a helping hand for this children and making them realize that a
persons incapability to see things through his / her own eyes shall not hinder him / her
to learn and to be educated like what other people in our society experiences. As a
special & residential school they currently offer educational program with the
implementation of K 12 program of the government. This includes Early Intervention
Program, Kindergarten Program, Elementary level (Grades 1-6) and High School
(Grades 7-12). They also offer Alternative Learning System (ALS) for the visually
impaired. For their students, they also have special services such as dormitories for
both male and female.

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Architectural Profile
The Philippine National School for the Blind has a school compound composed
of 4 buildings; Kindergarten, Elementary, High School, and Technology & Livelihood
Education Building. The school has dormitory facilities for their students located on the
second floor of the Kindergarten Building, composed of one room for the boys and one
room for the girls.
Each building has available facilities such as classrooms, music room,
laboratories, faculty rooms, Braille book library, restrooms for the boys and the girls.
The canteen and the conference hall, on the other hand, are on the ground floor of the
high school building which is located between the kindergarten and elementary building.

Fig. 1 Technology & Livelihood Education Building

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Fig. 2 Admin & Kindergarten Department (Ground Floor) and Student Dormitory
(Second Floor)
The building, as shown in figure 2, has the following facilities:

Kindergarten Classroom Set up

Braille Library with Laboratory Equipments

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Playground

Restrooms
(Every pathway to the restrooms has handrail installed on the wall
to serve as a guide for visually impaired students.)

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Stairs to the second floor (Dormitories)

Student Dormitory

Thru the second floor, there are slides provided which serve as fire exits for good
mobility of students in escaping in case of fire.

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Dormitory facilities for boys (left) and girls (right) on the second floor
are just separated by a wall.
(Both Dormitory facilities have fire exits provided as seen in the photo.)

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Fig. 3 Elementary Building

(Annexed to the Technology & Livelihood Education Building)

The Elementary building, as shown in figure 3, has the following facilities:

Elementary Classroom Set up

Braille Library with Music Instruments

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Elementary Department Corridor

Stairs to the second floor

(All stairs are provided with additional
high steel barrier to ensure the safety of
their visually impaired students.)

Restrooms are all located near the stairs

Ramps provided at the entrance of the Elementary Department.

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Fig. 4 High School Building

The High School building, as shown in figure 4, has the following facilities:

High School Classroom Set up

Braille Library with Laboratory

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Building Bridge
(Connects the High School building to the Elementary building.)

Stairs (1.5M in width)

High School Building Corridor (Second Floor)

PNSB Conference Hall (Ground Floor of the High School building)

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Other observed facilities:

Handrails
(Provided in every available part of the hallway to serve as a guide for students while walking,
since they are visually impaired. It was also provided for their mobility training.)

Lavatories
(Provided thru the hallway with specific designation wherein students can use it anytime.)

Waiting Shed / Area for family members / relatives who will fetch their child.
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Chapter I.4
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

PRODUCTION OF GATHERED DATA

In this section, the collected data in the research methodology are studied,
analyzed, and figured out what the gathered information means so that the researcher
can use it to draw some conclusions for the study. This section shall support the
researchers study through gathering all the necessary and reliable information collected
from the case study to arrive at a justification on what kind of learning environment there
should be in a school for the blind and the visually impaired. The collected information
will be shown in graphical format / diagrams.

The following discussion was conducted with Dr. Rosario Condes, School Principal of
PNSB:

Interview Questions:
1. Do you have residential facilities for the students?
- Yes, we have dormitories inside the campus. There are two dormitories inside
the campus, one for the male and one for the female where our learners reside.
Our dormitories have double deck bedrooms and each has its own T&B for
students convenience.

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2. What education do you offer?

We offer education from kindergarten to high school and we are implementing
the K-12 program as well. Aside from that, we also offer Alternative Learning
System (ALS).
3. How many are your enrollees at this time?
- Currently, we have 120 enrollees and we have also 18 on the Alternative
Learning System (ALS).
4. What are your students activities from day to day basis?
This is a residential school, so majority of our students live here, in their
dormitories, from Monday to Friday. Early monday morning, their parents/
guardians will bring them to school to check them in to their dormitories just like
in a hotel but the purpose is for them to live in a learning environment and study.
Then on late friday afternoon they are fetched again by their parents/ guardians
to spend time at home with their families.
5. What is your curriculum?
- Whatever is thought in a regular school, we also have it here but mostly is
thought in Braille system for reading and writing. We also train their mobility
using tactile materials to cope up with their special condition. We also have
physical education for the students through adaptive sports wherein the program
has specially designed interactions.
6. How many students per class?
- The minimum is 11 children per class and the maximum is 20.

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7. Are your classroom chairs accompanied with armchair?

- No, because it is not ideal for them since they have many things to hold and
bring with them. Instead of armchair, we just provided them with wide table with
individual chairs and they could already share some space with each other while
class is being conducted.
8. How does the teacher teach inside the classroom?
- Normally, the teacher stays in the middle of her students so that she can handle
the needs of each and everyone.
9. Where do you conduct your different activities like Buwan ng Wika, Christmas
Party etc.?
- We conduct it in a conference hall. We have a single conference hall inside the
campus wherein it can accommodate all of our student population.
10. Do you have a cafeteria / canteen?
- Yes and sometimes we let the parents of the students help and assist in the
kitchen for the preparation of food for the students.
11. In case of fire or earthquake, do you have facilities such as fire exits?
- Yes we have, and we use a specialized fire slide connected to every building,
not used for playing, but for emergency escape purposes.
12. Opportunities for their students?
We allow them to attend few regular subjects in a regular public school like
math, english and filipino. We do that by sending them in a regular public school
just nearby the campus and then we fetch them when already on time. When
they have assignments printed in regular copies, definitely they cannot read it, so

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we transcribe those copies into braill in order for them to read it. We have that
system so that our students can experience how to learn while with the company
of students with no disabilities and vice versa.

Results:

Accessibility of Students with Visual

Impairment
5%
30%

25%

Excellent
Satisfactory
40%

For Development
Unacceptable

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Ventilation
1%
19%
45%
Excellent
Satisfactory
For Development

35%

Unacceptable

Comfortability of Students with Different

Visual Impairment

25%

15%

Blind
Lazy - eyed or Amblyopia
30%

30%

Blurred visioned or Refractive

Errors
Crossed Eyed or Strabismus

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Lighting Discomfort of Students

23%

Too much light (Glare)

Ambient light

77%

Problematic Area

20%

10%

Classrooms
30%
30%

Art Facilities
Health Facilities (Clinic)
Restrooms

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ANALYSIS OF THE SCHOOL

Strong Points
The planning of the school exhibits the qualities and characteristics of a typical
government owned / public school in the country which has many issues but
the school is different in a way, that it shows uniqueness in the organization
of facilities.
The different educational programs / levels of students are well distributed in
each of the 4 buildings.
Accessibility from one building to another is well planned because through the
high school building, the user can move to the elementary building by the use of
the bridge connecting the two buildings. Moreover the elementary building is
annexed to the Livelihood building, therefore accessibility is not a big issue.
Movement / mobility of students throughout the campus is acceptable, since
there is a provided handrail in every available part of the hallway to guide visually
impaired students.
The ventilation is provided well, since all of the classrooms have louvers on
each side which admit light and air but prevents rain from coming in.
Transportation of students is not a problem, since in weekdays they just always
stay in the school dormitory while in weekends they are fetched by their
guardians.

Weak Points
There is a lack of healthcare facility like clinic for the students.
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 Unsuitable size of restrooms, especially with their unsighted condition.

Not all stairs were provided with steel barrier attached to the railing of stairs for
maximum safety.
Unfortunately, the small delivery carts carriageway is also the walkway of
the users which may be a concern for the students.
Working areas for faculty are crowded.
Lacks access from the main entrance to the High School Building.
Fire exits for the elementary and high school building is the typical stairs used
for fire exits, the researcher strongly recommend that it shall be also in a form of
slide just like the fire exit the school provided for the school dormitories for better
mobility.
Lack of art facilities which is important for everyones growth and being.

NEED ANALYSIS
In line with the data gathered the following shows the analysis for the needs of
the existing Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB), which may also be applied
throughout the course of the study.

Recommended requirements / needs of the facility:

Since the space at the center of the school compound is almost unused / void
and a small portion of it is only occupied by a basketball court, it can be occupied
with additional walkway to lessen the hassle in walking from the main gate of the
school to the High School building.
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 Proper space planning to lessen the burden of visually impaired students from
travelling inside the campus.
It was observed that some rooms are not occupied and can be used, at least,
temporarily by the faculty to lessen a crowded faculty room.
Modernization of waiting areas / sheds for the families and the relatives.
Uplifting learning environment for the visually impaired students by changing
the design of its structures significantly that the students will feel even without the
sense of sight.
Additional areas in school where students / children can still learn to do art and
appreciate art even without the use of their lost eyesight.
Provision of safe usage of facilities, especially the stairs which can be very
disturbing for the students with their condition.

Based on the research study, due to the problems derived through the gathered
information from the possible users, the researcher has already an idea and an
interpretation of what facilities is needed for a school for the blind and what possible
innovations can be made through it. As a statement, the researcher would greatly
recommend a proposal of school wherein all this problematic issues regarding the
school can be addressed and wherein students will not only learn the basic education
that they need but also learn to appreciate art because art provides blind students with
better quality of life in the same way it affects sighted students life. McNear (2000)
suggests that art activities are integral to childrens learning processes because they
connect students imagination to questions about human existence and present issues
and ideas that teach, persuade, entertain, and adorn. For the blind and the visually
Page 44

impaired as well as sighted children, art education must be taken seriously as a part of
the learning experience and growth of a child. This can be achieved through reaching it
to them by means of providing a learning environment which adapts to the concept of
appreciating natures art a green design of art in line with architecture by having a
proposed School of Applied Arts and Technology for all those visually challenged.

Page 45

Chapter I.5
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the research study, due to the problems derived through the gathered
information from the possible users, the researcher has already an idea and an
interpretation of what facilities is needed for a school for the blind and what possible
innovations can be made through it. As a statement, the researcher would greatly
recommend a proposal of school wherein all this problematic issues regarding the
school can be addressed and wherein students will not only learn the basic education
that they need but also learn to appreciate art because art provides blind students with
better quality of life in the same way it affects sighted students life. McNear (2000)
suggests that art activities are integral to childrens learning processes because they
connect students imagination to questions about human existence and present issues
and ideas that teach, persuade, entertain, and adorn. For the blind and the visually
impaired as well as sighted children, art education must be taken seriously as a part of
the learning experience and growth of a child. This can be achieved through reaching it
to them by means of providing a learning environment which adapts to the concept of
appreciating natures art a green design of art in line with architecture by having a
proposed School of Applied Arts and Technology for all those visually challenged.

Recommended requirements / needs of the facility:

Since the space at the center of the school compound is almost unused / void
and a small portion of it is only occupied by a basketball court, it can be occupied

Page 46

with additional walkway to lessen the hassle in walking from the main gate of the
school to the High School building.
Proper space planning to lessen the burden of visually impaired students from
travelling inside the campus.
It was observed that some rooms are not occupied and can be used, at least,
temporarily by the faculty to lessen a crowded faculty room.
Modernization of waiting areas / sheds for the families and the relatives.
Uplifting learning environment for the visually impaired students by changing
the design of its structures significantly that the students will feel even without the
sense of sight.
Additional areas in school where students / children can still learn to do art and
appreciate art even without the use of their lost eyesight.
Provision of safe usage of facilities, especially the stairs which can be very
disturbing for the students with their condition.

Page 47

PART II: RESEARCH FOCUS

Chapter II.1
RATIONALE

The study is designed to propose and provide a design of a school which will
administer the needs of the blind and the visually impaired students residing in a
specific rural area in which a specific site will be chosen by the proponent and shall be
discussed in the next part of the study. In a more definitive explanation, the research
targets to solve the current problem of illiteracy of visually disabled children in a rural
area near Metro Manila. As discussed in the statement of the problem, unfortunately in
the Philippines, the only existing residential school devoted for providing education for
the blind or visually impaired is the Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) in
Pasay City. Since it is located in an urban area like Metro Manila, a number of parents
with child with eye deficiency or disabilities coming from nearby provinces cannot afford
to bring their child to a learning environment like a school which can offer regular
education from kindergarten to high school. Thus, to accompany the problem with a
solution, a need for a facility which will administer the needs of the blind and the visually
impaired students residing in a specific rural area shall be eagerly and specially
designed for such special students. This study aspire to have a design of a school
which shall teach the blind and the visually-impaired ways to learn the diversity of art
and technology that shall comply with the Philippine government standards for a school
offering kindergarten to highschool education.

Page 48

Chapter II.2
PRINCIPLES AND RELEVANCE TO THE PROJECT

Adapting art as an extension of learning new ideas in school and imparting its
diverse areas of knowledge to students can be a significant factor for their development
as a whole. The idea of the study is to provide comprehensive education in the applied
arts while maintaining the standard educational offers from kindergarten to high school.
The concept of applied arts is simply characterized as providing hands on experiences
in the real world environment; therefore, the design of the structure shall commit and be
carried out to its idea. In a straightforward statement, it meant to house the blind and the
visually-impaired students to a school environment wherein they can experience or at
least feel hands on the real environment through providing facilities that would reflect
the different and various modes of art, may it be in the field of performance art through
dance and theatre, or skill and craft, etc. Moreover following principle can be applied:

Classroom Clusters / Cluster Grouping

In this concept, the classroom wings are replaced with a small number of
classrooms formed around central nodes. The courtyard model is widely used in school
design. It typically consists of up to four classroom blocks or support wings arranged
around a central courtyard. This model can work for small or large schools and can
provide natural groupings for multigrade clusters. Major circulation is differentiated from
secondary circulation feeding the classrooms. This helps to enable subgrouping and
controls traffic in front of classroom doors. The shared resource nodes are typically
programmed for functions that are utilized by the surrounding classrooms. The nodes
Page 49

can include such program elements as faculty offices, tutorial rooms, project areas, and
other essential functions, such as restrooms and egress stairs. The classroom cluster
establishes clear subgrouping within the overall school building, which enhances some
teaching methodologies, such as team teaching. This concept centralizes school
based shared resources, with classroom clusters located around the central resource
zone.

The organizational strategies for school for the blind and the visually impaired
students take numerous factors into consideration. The size, number, and configuration
of individual program components significantly influence the buildings final configuration
or shape. Other factors include the size and shape of the proposed site, the adjacencies
between school program elements, and planned use of the facility non traditional
hours of operation by any number of groups, Factors to consider when assessing these
influences include the following:
Entry sequence
How do students enter school each day, and where do they go?
Do they immediately report to a homeroom, or do they first gather in a
larger area such as quadrangle or canteen?
How do staff and faculty enter the building?
How does the public enter the building during the school day?
How does the public enter the building for community events?
Internal circulation
During the school day, where do students have to go and how often?

Page 50

 Do they travel the corridors as a class, such as in elementary school,

while other classes are in session?
Do they travel individually at each class period, such as in the upper
grades?
School size
How large is the schools enrollment?
Community use
What areas of the buildings are accessible after school hours such as
residential facilities?
Teaching methodologies
What are the teaching methodologies employed?
Is there a team teaching approach?
Efficiency cost
How much corridor space is needed to serve each room in the building?
This is a major component in the determination of building efficiency and
resultant costs.
Natural light
Almost all spaces in a school building can benefit from some amount of
natural light. The light requirements for many rooms are established by
local codes and regulations.
Site access
Many spaces, including classrooms for lower age groups, benefit from
direct access.

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Chapter II.3

APPLICATION TO THE PROJECT

Classroom Clustering can provide positive attributes to the proposed school, one
of these is a natural light well at the center of the plan that enhances sustainability and
educational goals for natural light in the majority of the learning environment. It can
create an efficient perimeter (exterior wall to enclosed area).This concept can provide
one or more outdoor environmental areas for use in water collection or heat island effect
reduction, as project areas of students, or for other academic support functions which is
very ideal for them since their condition needs some mobility training as well and a
courtyard plan with clustered classrooms could just be a good fit for these kind of
developmental activities of these students.

Example of a cluster plan as

discussed in Chapter II.2

Page 52

Positive Attributes:
Centralization of shared resource functions minimizes travel distances from
classrooms.
This concept is readily used for elementary schools, where shared facilities are
typically fewer in quantity and less sophisticated than they are for the upper
grades.
It is still possible to create visually interesting buildings by using the more
architecturally interesting common spaces as a visual centerpiece, with the
more neutral classroom wings as a backdrop.
It utilizes more circulation space as programmed area and can improve the
square-foot-per-student planning efficiency.
It provides tremendous flexibility in program opportunities.

Although it has also some limitations:

It can be difficult to isolate individual functions for after-hours or nontraditional
uses.
It can limit the planning module in multi story schemes because of the floor
plan regularity.

Page 53

PART III: SITE IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS

Chapter III.1
SITE SELECTION PROCESS

The primary purpose of a school site is to provide a place and an environment

that are conducive to the learning/teaching experiences that benefit youth who attend
the school. With the study at hand, it is important to consider the special condition of the
students attending the school since they are considered as Persons with Disabilities
(PWD), therefore the site selection shall also consider and comply with the Philippine
existing law, specifically the Accessibility Law (BP 344) and the Magna Carta (RA
7277). The safety of students shall always be the priority in choosing a specific site
taking to account such threats or hazards there might be.

CRITERIA FOR SITE SELECTION

The selection of a site for a new school greatly influences the resulting design
and operations of the facility. Its site selection is also affected by many factors, including
health and safety, location, size and cost. Therefore the study has specific criteria to
recommend for the selection of site:

1. Shape: Sites with shapes almost rectangular in form are usually easiest to plan. As a
very general rule-of-thumb, an efficient plan can be achieved on a rectangular site with
dimensions in a ratio of approximately three to five and which is:

Page 54

 Suitable for efficient use of land and does not restrict any phase of the
educational program.
Adequate to accommodate outdoor areas such as playgrounds, specialized
physical education programs for these visually disabled students, recreational
spaces, and buildings.

2. Location: The location of a school is a very important factor, but it must not dominate
if too many other desirable features are sacrificed. The site should be:
Convenient and readily accessible to present and/or future school populations
to be served, and to the public for community use educationally or
recreationally.
Conducive to the possibility for interrelationships and joint planning with other
public facilities, such as parks, libraries, museums, etc.
Accessible at reasonable cost to public roads that are adequate to
accommodate the added traffic generated by the school.
In a community that is safe and readily accessible to students, utilities, and
services, but free from noise, air pollution and other disturbing elements.
Industrial areas and transportation service areas, such as railroad, truck or air
terminals, are not suitable for school locations.
Located, where bus transportation is involved, so that the maximum travel time
for elementary students should rarely exceed seventy-five minutes and ninety
minutes should be the limit for elementary school and high school students.

Page 55

3. Access and Traffic: Ready, safe and economical access to the school site is basic.
The site should:
Be accessible at reasonable cost to public roads and/or streets that are
adequate or made adequate to hold the added traffic generated by the school.
Provide adequate frontage to provide safe access from roads or streets
approved by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Be adjacent to or readily accessible to modes of transport useful to students
and staff: school buses, private vehicles, public transportation, bicycles and/or
pedestrians.
Not be too close to congested traffic arteries or highways that are noisy and will
cause delays or special hazards for school traffic.
Avoid locations near manufacturing plants with large employee work forces.

4. Security and Safety: Local conditions may demand special attention to this factor.
Select locations where regular periodic inspections by police authorities are
possible.
Site should be convenient to a fire station, police station, hospital and/or rescue
squad.
Provide adequate site lighting to discourage mischief and/or vandalism and
install fencing around play areas to give students a sense of security, especially
in elementary schools.
Avoid locations near neighborhood social hazards, such as areas with high
incidence of crime or drug and alcohol abuse.

Page 56

 Locate away from industrial and manufacturing plants to avoid bad air quality
problems, such as odor, dust, noise, etc.

5. Noise Levels: Noise generated by modern technological devices may exceed

desirable conditions for schools.
Noise should not be serious enough to cause interference with communication.
The site should be far enough from air traffic and high speed vehicular traffic
(especially trucks and buses) and noisy industrial or commercial enterprises.

6. Utilities: Water, sewer, and electrical services must be available to all sites.
Community cable television and piped gas may also be available.
Water supply and sewage waste disposal services from municipal or district
systems are preferred to on-site systems.
If on-site water supply and sewage disposal are needed, they must comply with
requirements of appropriate health and environmental agencies.
Electrical service of adequate capacity should be available at reasonable
installation cost.

7. Costs: Besides the purchase price, the cost of planning, developing, operating and
maintaining a site must be considered to determine the true cost of a site.
Considerations should include:
Whether initial purchase price is in line with current costs of similar property.
Site availability at a cost that is not exorbitant and which reflects desirable
aesthetic qualities.
Page 57

 Administrative costs: fees for consultants in site-selection and planning

processes, and fees for legal services associated with procedures for
acquisition.
Development costs: clearing, grubbing, demolition, grading, paving, erosion
control, storm drainage, rock removal, soil analysis and treatment, plant
materials and their installation, transportation cost differences, and access to
and/or installation of waste disposal systems and other utilities.
Operating costs: regular tending, cleaning, mowing, gardening, pruning, waste
disposal system.
Maintenance costs: erosion control measures, repairs to paving and walks,
reestablishing turf, restoring trees and shrubs, repair of outdoor equipment.

Page 58

SITE OPTION DESCRIPTION

As discussed in the Research Focus section of Chapter II.1 Rationale of the
study, the possible sites will be situated in a rural area in a nearby province in Metro
Manila. With that said, the proponent chose 3 possible sites in the province of Bulacan.
I.

Site 1
- A land situated in Brgy. Sto. Cristo, City of Malolos, Bulacan along
Mabolo Diversion Road.
THE SITE

Site Boundary
Road
The lot, according to its existing tax declaration of real property, is classified as a
Riceland irrigated 1 and has a total area of 23,687 square meters, which is obviously a
very large area to be built on with a school intended only for students from kindergarten

Page 59

to high school, thus, a portion of the land only shall be occupied in which the area shall
be beneficial and advantageous for the proposed school.

Location
The site is located on a relatively flat terrain.
Due to its large area, the proposed school is conducive to the possibility for
future expansion, interrelationships and joint planning with other public
facilities, such as parks, public library, etc.
It is convenient and readily accessible to the community, since it is situated
near the residential community homes and the F. Estrella Street, one of the
road segments connecting Malolos Town Proper and Bulacan Town Proper.

Access and Traffic

Accessible at reasonable cost to public road / street, F. Estrella St.
It is not close to congested traffic roads since it is along the Mabolo
diversion road situated near a riceland irrigated area.
The site is adjacent to or readily accessible to modes of transport useful to
students and staff: private vehicles, public transportation, bicycles and/ or
pedestrians.

Security and Safety

The site is adjacent to the Barangay Hall of Brgy. Sto. Cristo.
It can be conveniently accessed by fire trucks, hospital ambulance, etc.

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Noise Level
As said, since the site is located in a riceland irrigated class of property,
it is expected that noise should not be that serious since it is far enough
from industrial and commercial enterprises.

II.

Site 2
- A land situated in Brgy. Bulihan, City of Malolos, Bulacan with road rightof-way along MacArthur Highway.

This is an actual Location Map originally attached to the Transfer Certificate of Title
along with its Tax Declaration of Real Property (see Related Appendices).

Page 61

The lot, according to its existing Transfer Certificate of Title, has a total area of
40,345 square meters, which is also a much bigger area compared to Site 1. Although
same applies with it, a portion of the land only shall be occupied in which the area shall
be beneficial and advantageous for the proposed school.
Location
The site is located on a relatively flat terrain.
Due to its large area, the proposed school is conducive to the possibility for
future expansion, interrelationships and joint planning with other public
facilities, such as parks, public library, etc.
It is definitely a school zone / area since there is an existing college school
near the site, the Bulacan Polytechnic College (BPC).
The site neighbors a residential area, the Grand Royale Subdivision.

Access and Traffic

It is accessible through its Road Right of Way which is very convenient
since it can prevent congested traffic road near the school and noise as well.
Accessible at reasonable cost to public road / street.

Security and Safety

The site can be conveniently accessed by fire trucks, police vehicle,
hospital ambulance and/or rescue squad since it is near the major road.

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Noise Level
The site is securely far enough from air traffic and high speed vehicular
traffic (especially trucks and buses) and noisy industrial or commercial
enterprises.

III.

Site 3
- A land situated in Brgy. Balungao, Calumpit, Bulacan near the Calumpit
Municipal Hall.
THE SITE

Municipal Hall

Site Boundary
Road

Page 63

The lot, according to its existing Transfer Certificate of Title, has a total area of
1,611 square meters. The site has a smaller area compared to Site 1 and Site 2 but
enough to accommodate school facilities.

Location
The site is located on a relatively flat terrain.
The Calumpit Municipal Hall is just a walk away from the site.
The site is along a busy road, which requires an adequate frontage to avoid
inconveniences like noise and traffic congestion.

Access and Traffic

Accessible at reasonable cost to public road / street.
It has a disadvantage, since the site is along a busy road which may create
problems on the traffic.

Security and Safety

The students are near to neighborhood social hazards, thus, maximizing
security inside the school must be monitored well.
The site is near in the Municipal Hall, so in some way security is
established.
The site can be conveniently accessed by fire trucks, police vehicle,
hospital ambulance and/or rescue squad since it is along the major road.

Page 64

Noise Level
The site is prone in high speed vehicular traffic (especially trucks and
buses) and noisy industrial or commercial enterprises since the site is along
a busy road. Therefore, adequate frontage distance must be considered as
a solution.

SITE SELECTION AND JUSTIFICATION

In the site selection process, the proponent fairly described and compared each
of the three site options by using the specific criterias recommended and studied by the
proponent. Through the course of the process, a choice of site displayed an advantage
that the other two options cannot provide distinctively. With that being said, the site
selected was the Site 1, a site located in Brgy. Sto. Cristo, City of Malolos, Bulacan.
The following shows its feasibleness for a site of choice for the proposed School of
Applied Arts and Technology for the Visually Challenged:
It is convenient and readily accessible to the community, since it is situated
near the residential community homes and the F. Estrella Street, one of the
road segments connecting Malolos Town Proper and Bulacan Town Proper.
It is not close to congested traffic roads since it is along the Mabolo diversion
road situated near a riceland irrigated area.
Due to its large area, the proposed school is conducive to the possibility for
future expansion, interrelationships and joint planning with other public
facilities, such as parks, public library, etc.

Page 65

 As said, since the site is located in a riceland irrigated class of property,

it is expected that noise should not be that serious since it is far enough
from industrial and commercial enterprises.
The site is adjacent to or readily accessible to modes of transport useful to
students and staff: private vehicles, public transportation, bicycles and/ or
pedestrians.
It can be a school community that is safe and readily accessible to students,
utilities, and services, but free from noise, air pollution and other disturbing
elements which is also very applicable and favorable to every students special
condition, since it shall be a school for the blind and the visually impaired.

Page 66

Chapter III.2
SITE EVALUATION AND ANALYSIS

THE MACRO SETTING

BULACAN
It is already a first class province in the Philippines, located in the Central Luzon
Region (Region III). Currently, it has 569 barangays from 21 municipalities and three
component cities (Malolos, the capital city; Meycauayan; and San Jose del Monte).
Bulacan is located immediately north of Metro Manila. Bordering Bulacan are the
provinces of Pampanga to the west, Nueva Ecija to the north, Aurora and Quezon to the
east, and Metro Manila and Rizal to the south. Bulacan also lies on the north-eastern
shore of Manila Bay.
The province figures prominently in Philippine history. Many national heroes and
political figures were born in Bulacan. The province was also one of the first to revolt
against Spain. The province is honored as one of the 8 rays of the sun in the national

Page 67

flag. In 1899, the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos was the birthplace of the First
Constitutional Democracy in Asia. It is also the cradle of the nation's noble heroes, of
great men and women; also home for many of the country's greatest artists, with a good
number elevated as National Artists.
Today, Bulacan is among the most progressive provinces in the Philippines. Its
people the Bulaqueos (or Bulakenyo in Filipino) - are regarded as highly educated,
and industrious. It is well known for the following industries: marble and marbleized
limestone, jewelry, pyrotechnics, leather, aquaculture, meat and meat products,
garments, furniture, high-value crops, and sweets and native delicacies, and a wide
variety of high-quality native products.
Although Bulacan have changed drastically throughout the years, there is still a
large portion of Bulacan where poverty is still common. Due to that, some of the children
cannot afford to attend school. Moreover, with the study at hand, Bulacan as part of
Central Luzon also share the population of persons with disabilities in the country. The
following tables show a 2010 report from the Department of Health (DOH) of provinces /
regions affected by blindness, low vision and visual impairment in the country:
Republic of the Philippines Prevalence of Blindness (%), 2010
Caraga

0.16

National Capital Region

0.19

Cordillera Autonomous Region

0.2

Central Luzon

0.4

Ilocos Region

0.5

Western Visayas

0.51

Eastern Visayas

0.53

Southern Luzon

0.56

Page 68

National Figure

0.58

Northern Mindanao

0.61

Central Visayas

0.62

Bicol Region

0.71

Western Mindanao

0.74

Central Luzon

0.79

Autonomous Region of Mislim Mindanao

0.8

Cagayan Valley

0.87

Southern Mindanao

1.08

Republic of the Philippines Prevalence of Low Vision (%), 2010

Caraga

0.6

National Capital Region

0.81

Cordillera Autonomous Region

0.87

Central Luzon

1.21

Central Mindanao

1.53

Western Mindanao

1.59

Southern Mindanao

1.71

Central Visayas

1.76

Western Visayas

1.91

National Figure

1.98

Northern Mindanao

2.17

Ilocos Region

2.43

Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao

2.43

Bicol Region

2.52

Eastern Visayas

2.56

Southern Luzon

3.71

Cagayan Valley

4.07

Page 69

Republic of the Philippines Prevalence of Visual Impairment (%) , 2010

Caraga

0.76

National Capital Region

Cordillera Autonomous Region

1.07

Central Mindanao

1.93

Central Luzon

Western Mindanao

2.33

Central Visayas

2.38

Western Visayas

2.42

National Figure

2.56

Northern Mindanao

2.78

Southern Mindanao (blindness)

2.79

Ilocos Region (Low Vision)

2.93

Eastern Visayas (Low Vision)

3.18

Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao

3.23

Bicol Region

3.23

Southern Luzon (Low Vision)

4.27

Cagayan Valley

4.94

Page 70

Malolos, officially already known as City of Malolos, is a first class urban

component city in the country. It is the capital of the province of Bulacan as the seat of
the provincial government.
Based on the 2010 Census of Population and Housing, as of August 1, the city's
population was at 223,069 people. It had a population density of 3,317 persons per
square kilometer. There are 47,362 households in the city. Majority of the Malolos
households usually lives along the major roads.

Education
Although Malolos is hailed as one of the centers of education in Central
Luzon region of the Philippines and a host to numerous schools in the primary,
secondary and tertiary level, the proponent is confident that the site of the proposed
school shall be in Malolos City. Why? Because Malolos is a city in Bulacan which is
really accessible from the other towns and cities of Bulacan which makes it an ideal site
for a school designed to teach the blind and the visually impaired.
Page 71

THE MICRO SETTING

THE SITE

A land situated in Brgy. Sto. Cristo, City of Malolos, Bulacan along Mabolo
Diversion Road
SIZE OF THE LOT:
has a total area of 23,687 square meters, which is obviously a very large
area to be built on with a school intended only for students from
kindergarten to high school, thus, a portion of the land only shall be
occupied in which the area shall be beneficial and advantageous for the
proposed school.

LOCATION:
The site is located on a relatively flat terrain.

Page 72

 Due to its large area, the proposed school is conducive to the possibility for
future expansion, interrelationships and joint planning with other public
facilities, such as parks, public library, etc.
It is convenient and readily accessible to the community, since it is situated
near the residential community homes and the F. Estrella Street, one of the
road segments connecting Malolos Town Proper and Bulacan Town Proper.

ACCESS AND TRAFFIC:

Accessible at reasonable cost to public road / street, F. Estrella St.
It is not close to congested traffic roads since it is along the Mabolo
diversion road situated near a riceland irrigated area.
The site is adjacent to or readily accessible to modes of transport useful to
students and staff: private vehicles, public transportation, bicycles and/ or
pedestrians.

SECURITY AND SAFETY:

The site is adjacent to the Barangay Hall of Brgy. Sto. Cristo.
It can be conveniently accessed by fire trucks, hospital ambulance, etc.

NOISE LEVEL:
As said, since the site is located in a riceland irrigated class of property,
it is expected that noise should not be that serious since it is far enough
from industrial and commercial enterprises.

Page 73

RELATED LAWS AND ORDINANCES

With R.A No. 9155, an act instituting a framework of governance for basic
education, the proponent just indicated those sections of the law which may be relevant
to the study. Every important term, phrases or sentences are underlined by the
researcher:

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect
and promote the right of all citizens to quality basic education and to make such
educational facilities accessible to all. Such education shall also include alternative
learning systems for out-of-school youth and adult learners and the disabled. It shall be
the goal of basic education to provide them with the skills, knowledge and values they
need to become caring, seIf-reliant, productive and patriotic citizens.
The school shall be the heart of the formal education system. It is where children learn.
Schools shall have a single aim of providing the best possible basic education for all
learners.
The State shall encourage local initiatives for improving the quality of basic education.
The State shall ensure that the values, needs and aspirations of a school community
are reflected in the program of education for the children, out-of-school youth and adult
learners. Schools and learning centers shall be empowered to make decisions on what
is best for the learners they serve.

Page 74

Section 3. Purposes and Objectives. - The purposes and objectives of this Act are:
(c) To make schools and learning centers the most important vehicle for the teaching
and learning of national values and for developing in the Filipino learners love of country
and pride in its rich heritage;
(d) To ensure that schools and learning centers receive the kind of focused attention
they deserve and that educational programs, projects and services take into account the
interests of all members of the community;
(f) To encourage local initiatives for the improvement of schools and learning centers
and to provide the means by which these improvements may be achieved and
sustained; and
(g) To establish schools and learning centers as facilities where schoolchildren are able
to learn a range of core competencies prescribed for elementary and high school
education programs or where the out-of-school youth and adult learners are provided
alternative learning programs and receive accreditation for at least the equivalent of a
high school education.

Page 75

Chapter III.3
SITE DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS

SITE ANALYSIS

Two way road

Two way road

Circulation Analysis
The site is a corner lot type. Since the two roads are just the typical type of two
way minor road in a rural area, congestion in traffic will not be a problem.

Page 76

NORTHEAST MONSOON

6 P.M

6 A.M

3 P.M

9 A.M

12 P.M
SOUTHWEST MONSOON

Sun path and Wind path Analysis

Page 77

PROPOSED SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

ADMIN
BUILDING
QUADRANGLE/PLAYGROUND

PICK UP / DROP
OFF WAITING AREA

ART FACILITY
(PERFORMANCE ART, SKILL
/ CRAFT)

KINDERGARTEN
ELEMENTARY &
HIGH SCHOOL
BUILDING

CANTEEN

Figure 1: Site Development Option 1

Page 78

PICK UP / DROP
OFF WAITING AREA
MOBILITY TRAINING GROUND

ART FACILITY
(PERFORMANCE ART, SKILL
/ CRAFT)

KINDERGARTEN

ELEMENTARY &
HIGH SCHOOL
BUILDING

CANTEEN

Figure 2: Site Development Option 2

Page 79

APPENDIX A

FIGURE A.1.1: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE OF SITE 1

Page 80

FIGURE A.1.2: TAX DECLARATION OF REAL ESTATE OF SITE 1

Page 81

FIGURE A.2: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE OF SITE 2

Page 82

FIGURE A.3: TAX DECLARATION OF REAL PROPERTY OF SITE 3

Page 83

APPENDIX B

The following discussion was conducted with Dr. Rosario Condes, School Principal of
PNSB:

Interview Questions:
1. Do you have residential facilities for the students?
2. What education do you offer?
3. How many are your enrollees at this time?
4. What are your students activities from day to day basis?
5. What is your curriculum?
6. How many students per class?
7. Are your classroom chairs accompanied with armchair?
8. How does the teacher teach inside the classroom?
9. Where do you conduct your different activities like Buwan ng Wika, Christmas
Party etc.?
10. Do you have a cafeteria / canteen?
11. In case of fire or earthquake, do you have facilities such as fire exits?
12. Opportunities for their students?

Thank you!

Page 84