DepEd gets P3.7M graduation subsidy from Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government has turned over P3.7 million in graduation subsidy to the Department of Education.

City Councilor Alvin Dizon, who chairs the City Council’s Committee on Education, said the release of the amount was in time for the graduation rites of 108 public elementary and high schools in the city.

Dizon said there were 65 elementary schools and 43 high schools that have registered with the Local School Board to avail of the subsidy.

The graduation subsidy from the city government was provided for under the City Ordinance 2412, an Ordinance Providing for Graduation Fees Subsidy to all Public Elementary and Secondary Schools in the City of Cebu.

With this, at least 26,050 elementary and high school students were spared from paying for their graduation fees. The city government has allocated P150 graduation fee for each student.

He said that DepEd-Cebu City Division has distributed the amount to all schools from March 24 to March 25.

“Ato nang gihatag sa schools through DepEd just in time for the graduation of the schools pag-Thursday,” he said.

Dizon said that majority of the schools have already gotten their share.

Despite the subsidy, Dizon admitted receiving reports that there were some schools that still collected graduation fees.

“We have received reports nga duna gyoy eskwelahan nga nagpaamot kay nakuyawan sila nga dili maabot on time ang subsidy, but only few schools lang, mga less than five schools,” Dizon said.

Banilad Elementary School was one of those schools, Dizon said. Dizon said that he expected the scenario since it is the first year of implementation of the ordinance.

“Naay sound system rental ug chairs, kinahanglan man og advance down payment. So they were compelled to collect the fees pero i-refund rana sa parents gyod. Expected mani kay first year of implementation sa program, labi na bag-o pa, naa gyod ta’y masugatan ani,” he said.

 The report, however, did not reach to Dr. Rhea Mar Angtud, Cebu City Schools Division Superintendent.

Angtud said the subsidy was already distributed to all schools in the city.

“It (graduation fee subsidy) was deposited under the name of DepEd Cebu City last March 23. The day after, our disbursing section started distributing the money,” she said.– (FREEMAN)