RECOGNIZING the vital role the youth play in nation-building, Cebu City Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia is pushing for an ordinance instituting the Cebu City public school assistance program for primary and elementary students.

With the ordinance, which shall be known as Cebu City Pepssap, the City Government will provide pupils from Kinder 1 to Grade 6 with three sets of school uniforms, one pair of school shoes and school supplies like pencils, pens and paper at the beginning of the year. The pupils will also get free breakfast throughout the school year.

Funding for the program has yet to be determined.

Garcia said it is the vision of Mayor Edgardo Labella to provide students in Cebu City with a holistic development.

“It shall be the policy of the Cebu City Government to create a conducive learning environment that inspires and encourages young learners in the primary levels and their families to pursue education as key to a better future by providing them with their basic school needs,” a part of the resolution reads.

Garcia also pointed out Section 2 of Republic Act 9155, or the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, which states that it is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality basic education and to make such education accessible to all by providing all Filipino children a free and compulsory education in the elementary level and free education in the high school level.

He said the new city administration had identified basic education as one of the pillars to a child’s welfare and had committed to address the disparity and inequity that plague primary education.

The City Council has referred the ordinance to the committee on laws for further scrutiny. (JJL)