Mayor Greg Gasataya said May 4 that the city government will provide free school bags and supplies to public school students, from Kindergarten to Grade 6, ahead of the school year opening next month.
Students from grades 7 to 12 will also receive free school bags, along with PE uniforms, the city said.
More than 111,000 students are expected to benefit from the initiative, including 64,625 students from Kindergarten to Grade 6, and 46,694 from grades 7-12.
Nearly P90 million from the Special Education Fund will be allocated for the purchase of school bags and supplies that will be distributed.
An additional P50 million has also been set aside to expand the educational materials program, in line with City Ordinance 09-16-787, which provides for free school kits containing notebooks, writing pad, pens, and pencils to all public elementary school pupils in the city.
Gasataya emphasized that despite the ongoing fuel crisis, the city remains committed to supporting students and easing the financial burden on families before classes begin in June.
“Please consider this not as an expense from the city government. For us, this is an investment in the future of the youth of Bacolod City. That’s why we are allocating enough resources to make it easier for students, so, there will be no reason for them not to stay in school,” he said.
“As much as possible, the city government will provide for the necessary needs of students in the midst of crisis. We believe one of the best things we can offer is free, quality education from kindergarten to senior high school,” Gasataya stressed.
He noted that the decision came after a series of coordination meetings with the Department of Education-Schools Division of Bacolod.
The city government is currently finalizing distribution measures to ensure that all school bags, supplies, and uniforms are delivered before the start of classes this school year. ||
