Taguig ordinance gives financial grants to its top graduating students

In a bid to highlight its commitment to promote academic excellence in the public education sector, the Taguig City Council’s first order of business this year is to approve an ordinance providing for additional cash gifts to public elementary and high school students who will graduate as valedictorians and salutatorians.

Under Ordinance No. 1 Series of 2013, the additional cash incentives will be on top of the financial grants that the city has been extending to graduating top students in all public elementary and high schools within the city.

“This is meant to recognize the painstaking efforts of our students in striving for academic excellence in their respective schools. The incentive system is also meant to highlight the importance our city gives to education,” said Mayor Lani Cayetano, as she thanked the members of the city council for the passage of the ordinance.

The ordinance was sponsored by Councilors Gamaliel N. San Pedro, Jaime R. Labampa, Baby Gloria V. De Mesa, Rodil C. Marcelino, Carlito M. Ogalinola Aurelio Paulo R. Bartolome, Erwin G. Manalili, Edwin T. Eron, Liga President Rommel B. Tanyag, and SK Federation President Ricardo R. Cruz IV.

Under the new ordinance, the valedictorians and salutatorians of each public high school will get P30,000 and P25,000, respectively.

On the other hand, the valedictorians of each public elementary school will get P15,000, while salutatorians will receive P12,500 in cash gifts.

“This is Taguig City’s way of rewarding our children who have struggled against overwhelming odds and come out on top of their respective classes,” Mayor Lani said.

The award of financial grants to top students were initiated in 2011 and provided two different sets of monetary incentives that applies separately to those who will graduate at the top of their classes in both elementary and high school.

For public high school students, the Top 10 graduating students of each public high school will receive P10,000 as cash incentive while those who will graduate at the top of their section will receive P5,000.

The Valedictorian, on the other hand, shall receive an additional amount of P20,000 while the Salutatorian shall receive an additional amount of P15,000.

For public elementary school students who will graduate Top 10 of their class, a P5,000 monetary reward will be given by the city government. On the other hand, a P2,500 cash incentive shall be given to elementary students who will graduate at the top of their section.

The Valedictorian shall receive an additional amount of P10,000 while the Salutatorian shall receive an additional amount of P7,500.

The financial grant will be handed to the students on the day of their graduation as their respective schools recognize their exemplary academic performance.

According to Danilo S. Gutierrez, Assistant Division Supt. (OIC) of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Taguig, a total of 10,843 elementary students and 7,242 high school students are set to graduate this year.

Since she assumed office in 2010, Mayor Lani has been instituting reforms in the education sector, the latest of which is an increase to P300 million the funds available for the city government’s scholarship program.

To date, an estimated 24,000 scholarships were provided by the city government.

Also, ten school buildings have been constructed by her administration during her first term as city mayor. Modular classrooms were also built to provide an immediate solution on the problem of overcrowded classrooms.

Side-by-side with the modular classrooms, the city government also introduced the Taguig City Learner’s Certificate Program (TLC) which intends to decongest heavily-populated public schools by transferring them to private schools.

Aside from these reforms, Mayor Lani also lessened the burden of parents by shouldering the needs of all public pre-school, elementary and high school students. Complete set of school uniforms, shoes, bags, and school supplies were provided.

TAGALOG VERSION:

Inaprubahan ng Taguig City Council ang ordinansa na nagpapahintulot sa pagkakaloob ng dagdag na tulong pinansiyal sa mga mangungunang magtatapos na estudyante ng elementarya at high school sa mga pampublikong paaralan.

Saklaw ng Ordinance No. 1 Series of 2013 “An Ordinance Authorizing the Expanded Financial Grant to Graduating Elementary and High School Students in all Public Elementary and High Schools Within the City Who Have Exhibited Academic Excellence,” ang lahat ng estudyanteng magtatapos na kabilang sa Top 10 gayundin ang mga estudyanteng mangunguna sa kanilang klase.

Ibibigay ang financial grant ng pamahalaang lungsod sa mismong araw ng graduation bilang pagkilala sa kahusayang ipinamalas sa kanilang pag-aaral.

Kabilang sa mga nag-akda sa ordinansa sina konsehal Gamaliel N. San Pedro, Jaime R. Labampa, Baby Gloria V. De Mesa, Rodil C. Marcelino, Carlito M. Ogalinola, Aurelio Paulo R. Bartolome, Erwin G. Manalili, Edwin T. Eron, LIGA President Rommel B. Tanyag, at SK Federation President Ricardo R. Cruz IV.

“Ginagawa natin ito upang mahikayat ang mga magulang at ang kanilang mga anak na magpatuloy ng pag-aaral. Ayaw kong magtapos lamang sila ng high school, sa halip, nais kong hangarin nila ang tumuntong ng kolehiyo,” pahayag ni Mayor Lani Cayetano.

“Nais kong bigyan ng pag-asa at oportunidad ang bawat pamilya sa Taguig gayundin ng oportunidad na magkaroon ng trabahong may mataas na suweldo matapos nilang magtapos ng kolehiyo,” dagdag pa ni Mayor Lani.

Sa ilalim ng Section 3 ng ordinansa, kasama sa pagkakalooban ng financial assistance ang mga estudyanteng magtatapos ng elementary at high school na mangunguna sa kanilang klase.

Yaong mga magtatapos ng elementarya na kabilang sa Top 10 ng kanilang klase ay makatatanggap ng P5,000 habang P2,500 naman ang ibibigay sa mga mangunguna sa kanilang klase.

Ang magtatapos na class valedictorian ay tatanggap ng karagdang P10,000 habang ang class salutatorian naman ay P7,500.

Sa high school, ang papasok sa Top 10 ng graduating class ay makatatanggap ng P10,000 habang ang mangunguna sa kanilang mga klase ay P5,000.

Ang class valedictorian ay makatatanggap ng karagdagang P20,000 habang ang class salutatorian ay P15,000.

Ayon kay Danilo Gutierrez, Assistant Division Supt. (OIC) ng Department of Education (DEPED) Taguig, 10,843 ang kabuuang bilang ng mga estudyante sa elementarya at 7,242 sa high school ang nakatakdang magtapos sa taong ito.

Sa 22 pampublikong paaralan sa Taguig, ang Tenement Elementary School ang may pinakamaraming bilang ng magtatapos na may 1,288. Ito ay sinusundan ng Signal village Elementary School na may 1,267 at Upper Bicutan Elementary School na may 969.

Para sa 12 pampublikong high school, ang Signal Village National High School ang may pinakamaraming bilang ng estudyanteng magtatapos na may 1,799. Sinusundan ito ng Bagumbayan National High School na may 874 at Western Bicutan National High School na may 843.

Sapul makuha ang poder ng kapangyarihan noong 2010, nagpatupad ng mga reporma sa sektor ng edukasyon si Mayor Lani na sinimulan sa pamamagitan ng P300 million Scholarship Program na pinakikinabangan ng libu-libong iskolar nito.

Sapul simulan ito ay tinatayang 24,000 scholarship ang naibigay na ng pamahalaang lungsod.

Kasabay ng pagtatayo ng mga modular classroom, ipinatupad ng pamahalaang lungsod ang Taguig City Learner’s Certificate (TLC) Program na ang layunin ay ibsan ang pagsisiksikan ng estudyante sa mga pampublikong paaralan sa pamamagitan ng paglilipat ng mag-aaral sa mga pribadong paaralan.

Bukod sa mga repormang ito ay pinagaang din ni Mayor Lani ang gastusin ng mga magulang sa pamamagitan ng pagsagot sa mga kakailanganin ng lahat ng estudyante sa pampublikong paaralan sa pre-school, elementary at high school. Kumpletong set ng school uniform, sapatos, bag at gamit pang-eskwela ang ibinibigay ng pamahalaang lungsod sa mga mag-aaral.