City Council approves raise in city scholars’ allowance

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City scholars will get an additional P500 allowance per semester in the next school year after the City Council approved yesterday the amendatory ordinance sponsored by Councilor Alvin Dizon.

Dizon said the increase in the scholars’ stipend is already long overdue.

“This allowance is already a big help to our scholars” Dizon said.

Although the increase was not included in the 2015 annual budget, Dizon assured that it will be implemented starting school year 2015 to 2016.

“We will make a representation with the executive department nga isulod ni sa supplemental budget kay wala man gud ni maapil sa 2015 annual budget,” Dizon said.

Aside from the increase of the allowance, Dizon also pushes for innovation of the guidelines of the ordinance after the beneficiaries complained about the delay in the release of their allowance.

The delay in the compliance of the requirements by the scholarship coordinators and the schools was blamed on the delay of the release of the fund.

“We will also enjoin the executive department to release the allowance on time kay mao man nay problema in the past school years maong ato sab giusab ang guidelines sa ato scholarship program,” Dizon said.

Dizon reiterated that this amendment is a way to ensure and appropriate allowance responsive to the needs of the scholars.

In his amendment, he changed the term transportation to board and lodging expenses since this is more appropriate for beneficiaries from the mountain barangays.

Scholars from mountain barangays receive additional P500 per semester as transportation allowance aside from the P10,000 tuition fee and other related fees.

All scholars will be able to receive the P500 increase regardless of where they came from. The Cebu City scholarship program started in 2010. — (FREEMAN)