Bacolod students get free school supplies

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The city government has started distributing free school supplies to 113,000 public school learners in time for the opening of classes on Monday, June 8.

Mayor Greg Gasataya led the distribution at A.L. Jayme Elementary School in Barangay Mansilingan, marking the official launch of the program for kindergarten to senior high school students enrolled in public schools under the Department of Education-Division of Bacolod.

Gasataya assured parents that late enrollees and transferees who were not included in the initial estimates will also receive school supplies.

He said the city will coordinate with DepEd to determine the number of late enrollees, as many transferees were not included in the original estimates.

“They do not have to worry because the city is preparing for this,” the mayor added.

A PHP 90 million budget sourced from the Special Education Fund was allocated for the initiative, which aims to ease the financial burden on families and ensure students begin the school year with the basic materials they need for learning.

Under the program, elementary and preschool students will receive notebooks, pens, pencils, pad paper, school bags, and other basic supplies.

High school students, meanwhile, will receive school bags and P.E. uniforms — a first for the city — to support learners amid current economic challenges.

The distribution coincided with the June 8 opening of school year 2026–2027, based on the Department of Education’s school calendar.

Last year’s distribution was delayed and released only in September due to procurement issues tied to the implementation of the New Government Procurement Act, or Republic Act 12009.

Republic Act 12009, which took effect on Aug. 13, 2024, updated the government procurement system covering goods, infrastructure projects, and consulting services by national government agencies, local government units, state universities and colleges, government-owned and -controlled corporations, and other public entities.

Meanwhile, a student was summoned for reportedly spreading false information about the suspension of classes last Monday.

The minor student was accompanied by his mother and claimed that his social media account had been hacked.

The student was referred for disciplinary action and counseling to prevent the same incident from happening again.

The city warned those spreading false information that they will be held accountable.

“We do not tolerate this,” the city government said.