The city government here is distributing free school supplies to 65,019 elementary pupils in more than 40 schools under the Department of Education-Division of Bacolod City for school year 2025-2026.
The first batch of recipients on Thursday were learners from six schools under District 1, who received the school kits during the turnover activities led by Mayor Greg Gasataya and Councilor Al Victor Espino.
Each school kit contains 10 notebooks, four rolls of writing pad paper, one box of black ballpens, two red ballpens, and two No. 2 pencils placed inside a zippered plastic envelope with a handle.
“Education remains our priority and we will continue to do our best to support our students and our schools,” Gasataya said in statement on Friday.
He added that for the next school year, their commitment is to release the school kits before the opening of classes.
At the Andres Bonifacio Elementary School I, school supplies were given to 1,206 pupils; Andres Bonifacio Elementary School II – 1,543 pupils; Banago Elementary School I – 1,789 pupils; Banago Elementary School II – 1,016 pupils; Mandalagan Elementary School – 1,366 pupils; and Abkasa Elementary School – 652 pupils.
Secretary to the Mayor Marty Go said the distribution of school supplies to the remaining schools will resume on Monday.
The other recipients are from the elementary schools under Districts 2 to 7.
For this year’s education materials distribution program, the city government allocated PHP32 million for the procurement of the school supplies.
Espino, who chairs the City Council committee on education, said changes in the procurement law contributed to the delay in the purchase, but he committed the on-time distribution of the school supplies next school year.
City Ordinance No. 09-16-787 mandates the provision of free educational materials, including school supplies, school bag, and physical education uniform, to all pupils of public elementary schools in Bacolod. (PNA)