Distribution of school supplies to over 23,000 Bagonhon pupils begins

BACOLOD City – The City Government of Bago, Negros Occidental has begun the distribution of school supplies worth P5.54 million to over 23,000 public school children, from Kinder to Grade 6, in the city.

Vice Mayor Ramon Torres along with other local officials led the ceremonial turnover of customized school supplies to over 4,000 school children from five public schools in the city comprising the District IA at J.L. Araneta Elementary School in Barangay Taloc Tuesday morning, January 10.

The recipient-schools under District IA are J.L. Araneta Elementary School, Newton Jison Elementary School, I. Makilan Elementary School, T.M. Morada Elementary School and Ma. Rosario  Araneta Elementary School.

In the afternoon, they distributed school supplies to about 2,200 pupils from five other schools belonging to District IB at Vidal Cauntoy Elementary School in Barangay Dulao.

The four other schools comprising the District IB are A.M. Espinos Elementary School, Abuanan Elementary School, Guanzon Balgos Elementary School, and Inocencio Lucasan Elementary School.

The school supply essentials include bags, notebooks, pencils, pens, and pad papers that are customized depending on their grade levels.

The school supplies distribution is a program of the city government headed by Mayor Nicholas Yulo in partnership with the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation.

In his message, Torres said they hoped that the parents and students could appreciate the efforts of the local government to help and assist the latter in their educational needs.

Pointing out that the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic is not yet over and with the resumption of full face-to-face classes, he called on teachers to take good care of their health as well as the well-being of the students.

Fourth District Board Member Andrew Martin Torres, who also spoke at the ceremony, expressed optimism that the teachers and principals would help explain to the students the importance of these school supplies.

“We hope that they will take good care of these school supplies and make use of it,” he said, stressing that education has been a top priority of the local government.

Other officials present at the ceremonial turnover were Councilors Maria Josefa Matti, Jake Patrick Torres, Victor Michael Javellana, Carlos Mondia, Maria Femmy Alvarez-Martir and Joseph Colmenares, SK Federation President Carl Benedict Baylon, and City Coordinator for Education and Information Officer 1 Ace Balboa.

They were joined by some officials of the Department of Education Division of Bago, and principals of the recipient-schools, among others.

In response, District IA Public Schools District Supervisor Dr. Elmer Cabiles thanked the city government for extending these school supplies to the pupils.

Cabiles said that it is now hard for most parents to support the educational needs of their children, especially those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

“To the students, take good care of the school supplies given by the city government and continue to study hard,” he added.

The city government targets to complete the distribution of school supplies to 28 other public elementary schools in the city next week.