Elementary and high school students in Cebu City will no longer have to shell out money to pay for their graduation ceremony as the Cebu City government will appropriate funds for this purpose, if Councilor Alvin Dizon’s proposed ordinance is approved.
The proposed “Ordinance for Graduation Fees Subsidy to all Public Elementary and Secondary Schools in the City of Cebu,” now being studied by the Council’s committee on laws, will allot P3 million per year for the graduation rites of public elementary and high schools.
“This is our humble contribution to make education more accessible to our constituents. Kabaw man ta, every year, especially during graduation na daghan mga amutan atong studyante and ginikanan,” said Dizon.
(We know that our students and parents have to pay contributions for graduation.)
If this pushes through, the P3-million budget will be taken from the city’s account for “City-Sponsored Activities.”
Dr. Rhea Mar Angtud, the schools division superintendent for DepEd-Cebu City, said that every year, they have around 15,000 elementary graduates and 10,500 secondary school graduates.
Each elementary graduate is expected to pay P90 for their graduation ceremony while each high school graduate is expected to pay P150.
“They city government can afford it, so let’s just spend for this to ease the burden on the parents,” said Dizon.
DepEd Order No. 8 Series of 2005, however, prohibits public schools from collecting graduation fees. However, it says the Parents and Teachers Associations may solicit voluntary contributions from their members to pay for the graduation rites and celebrations.
The ordinance states that the Cebu City Local School Board shall take charge in the implementation of the policy if approved./ by Angeli R. Sarmiento, UP Cebu Intern
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